Rurouni Ranma
by ContraBardus
Summary: A Ranma 1/2 Rurouni Kenshin Fusion!
1. Default Chapter

Ruroni Ranma.  
  
Part one,  
  
Here's Ranma.  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
1975...  
  
Nodoka Saotome looked down at her son as he stood proudly with his  
father, a shinai was strapped across his back just behind his  
traveling bag as he stood and simply smiled at her. She fell to her  
knees and smiled at him gently as she pulled him into a gentle hug.  
  
They were standing in the door of the Tendo home, the sun had not  
yet risen and a cold wind blew outside. Both father and son looked  
serious as they prepared to leave on their voyage of training. Nodoka  
squeezed the boy a little tighter, not wanting to let him go.  
  
"Remember my son, do not forget your heritage while on your  
voyage, no matter what your father tells you." she whispered into his  
hear.  
  
Genma looked away in frustrated and impatient embarrassment as he  
eagerly awaited the journey he was about to embark on with his son.  
The boy would learn the Anything Goes style of Martial Arts and forget  
this foolishness his mother had implanted in his head. The bamboo  
practice sword would be thrown out at the earliest convenience once  
they left the home.  
  
The boy returned his mothers embrace and simply whispered his  
answer.  
"Hai."  
  
Without the elder Saotome noticing she slipped an aged looking  
scroll into the boy's backpack.  
  
"When we return, our son will be a true man," announced Genma as  
he pulled the boy away.  
  
Nodoka merely nodded and said nothing more as she watched her son  
leave. Her instruction had been minimal, and the fact that her own  
skills with the blade would be considered atrocious by any master of  
the art. Still, she had a faint hope that her own son would secretly  
carry on her family style. She bowed her head slightly and turned back  
into the house having only her memories to comfort her.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
1979...  
  
Ranma Saotome stood in a vacant lot and stared patiently at the  
street.  
  
"Boy," growled his father angrily.  
  
"I will not leave until he comes," replied Ranma firmly. He simply  
stood waiting; the blade at his side kept his father at bay. He knew  
better than to press the boy's honor. His son had been practicing with  
a sword in secret for most of the journey. Waking up in the night and  
sneaking away into the shadows, Genma had ignored it at first, waiting  
until the boy's exhaustion would tire him of the game.  
  
Unfortunately that day never came. Ranma just became more and more  
focused on his mother's arts.  
  
After about three years of vainly hoping that the boy would give  
up the blade, he confronted his son. The battle had been remarkably  
short and Genma decided to allow the boy to continue to practice his  
art, so long as it did not interfere with his training.  
  
Ranma smiled at his father's wary gaze, the shinai had long ago  
been destroyed, it was replaced by a worn looking boken. The boy was  
progressing favorably in the family school, but his skills with the  
sword were down right frightening to the man. If he ever got his hands  
on the family blade Genma would have more fear of him than his own  
wife; Ranma was not aware of this of course, but still, the elder  
Saotome decided to wait another day for his son's rival to appear.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
On the fourth day, Ryoga Hibiki arrived. He was dressed in black  
traveling clothes with a yellow and black bandana tied across his  
forehead. He stood firmly opposite Ranma and smiled. "So, you had the  
guts to show up?"  
  
Ranma merely nodded his head and smiled. "The same could be said  
of you."  
  
There was a ferociousness in his eyes that only served to  
strengthen the Hibiki boy's resolve. "I will not be so easily beaten!"  
  
Ranma merely took up a loose kenpo stance and waited. Ryoga  
charged forward screaming in rage as the pair collided. His fist  
slammed into Ranma's face sending the boy back with a look of shock on  
his face as he staggered under the force of the boy.  
  
He recovered instantly and kicked out his leg taking the boy in  
the jaw and lifting him off the ground sending him sprawling across  
the ground. Hibiki reacted true to form and recovered instantly rising  
to his feet just as Ranma slammed his foot into the ground where he  
had been a moment before. They stood and charged again, Ryoga faced  
the wrong direction and glanced around in confusion before paying for  
his mistake as he received a hard kick in the back of his head. Taking  
advantage of the situation Ranma pulled Ryoga into a hold as he locked  
his arms around his neck and squeezed slowly.  
  
Ryoga screamed in rage, but slammed his palm on the ground  
signaling his defeat. "Damn you Ranma."  
  
The boy smiled at his opponent and flipped his ponytail back over  
his shoulder. "It was a good match, I hope you're stronger when I  
return."  
  
Ryoga looked up at him from his place on the ground in surprise.  
"You're going somewhere?" His voice almost sounded hopeful, but also  
disappointed at the same time.  
  
"See you around Hibiki," said the boy as he walked off and met his  
father in the middle of the road. Genma looked back and sighed as he  
watched his son's rival stare at them in shock as they walked away. He  
would miss the boy, he had been good for Ranma; but his training would  
progress too slowly even if he remained here with him as a rival. The  
best way for them was to move on, besides, he owed rent money on the  
apartment anyway.  
  
Ryoga simply watched as they vanished into the sunset. Ranma  
Saotome was indeed an honorable man; he had waited four days for him  
to arrive and given him a good fight. "All right Saotome, when you  
return, Ryoga Hibiki will be your strongest opponent!" He pulled his  
bag over his shoulder and turned away for his own voyage of training.  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
1985...  
  
"Tendo, coming from China, Saotome."  
  
Soun Tendo held the postcard in his hand as he trembled and simply  
stared at it in disbelief. "Oh, how I've waited for this day..."  
  
A few moments later his daughters sat around the table staring at  
their father in shock.  
  
"Is he cute?" asked Nabiki shrewdly.  
  
"Ara, I hope he's older, younger men are so...young," gasped  
Kasumi with  
a worried look on her face.  
  
"I don't know, I've never met him," replied Soun honestly.  
  
The girls looked at him for a moment when a noise came from the  
hallway. Soun stood up and rushed to the door with an excited look on  
his face. Kasumi and Nabiki followed close behind him while Akane  
merely scowled angrily.  
  
Soun threw open the door to greet the newcomer and stopped as a  
boy of about fourteen years old stood with his hand in a knock and  
looked at him blankly. On his face was a cross shaped scar, his hair  
fell back into a long ponytail, and his dress was that of a  
traditional samurai, although the red and black color scheme was a  
little unusual. Soun froze in place as he saw the scabbard hanging at  
the boy's side, throwing his arms wide he grabbed him in a rough hug.  
  
The boy merely looked at him and cocked his head slightly. "Oro?"  
  
"Ara," said Kasumi as she was uncertain of what to do at the  
moment.  
  
"Is this the Tendo residence?" asked the boy cheerfully.  
  
Soun flustered for a moment and regained himself. "Yes, why yes it  
is."  
  
"I'm Ranma Saotome, pleased to meet you," replied the boy as he  
bowed to them politely.  
  
Soun grabbed him in a rough hug instantly and squeezed him. "Oh,  
I'm so glad you came! Tell me, where is your father?"  
  
Ranma looked down at the ground and said nothing for a moment.  
"He's dead," he muttered quietly.  
  
Soun Tendo decided that the information was too much for his brain  
and passed out.  
  
Ranma turned towards Kasumi and smiled at her warmly. "Is there a  
place I can put this?" He held up his bamboo umbrella.  
  
The girl blinked for a moment and indicated the umbrella stand by  
the door. "He's so... young," she sighed with a hint of disappointment  
in her voice. The boy in front of her didn't look any older than  
fourteen.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
Nabiki sat with the boy at the table with her two sisters flanking  
her on either side. "So, who are you, and what's with the weird  
clothes?" The boy was dressed in a long black Hakama and a rather  
flamboyant red shirt; he also had a Katana resting on his hip. He  
looked like something out of a samurai movie.  
  
"Ranma Saotome," replied the boy cheerfully. "What's so weird  
about them?" He lifted one of his sleeves up and inspected it for a  
moment.  
  
The girl looked away muttering something about 'Kuno' and seemed  
to lose interest.  
  
The youngest girl rolled just her eyes.  
  
"Why are you here kid?" snapped Akane.  
  
Ranma looked confused for a moment. "Didn't your father tell you?  
I'm supposed to marry one of you and continue the school of martial  
arts in my father's name."  
  
Akane looked at him for a moment. "You knew about this?"  
  
"Of course, it was my father's dying wish that I come here to  
honor the agreement," replied Ranma with a small shrug.  
  
"To this little kid?" said Nabiki with a small snort of disgust.  
  
"Um, did you say 'little kid?'" said the boy nervously. He was  
about to continue when Kasumi spoke up and placed her hand on his  
shoulder.  
  
"Ara! A final request!" said Kasumi with a horrified expression on  
her face. "It must be hard for someone as young as you."  
  
"Yes, it was my father's last request, I wasn't planing on  
marrying anyone anytime soon. I hope you don't mind," said the boy  
with a slightly worried look on his face.  
  
Akane's face softened a little, but her glare remained. "I don't  
care why you're here. I'm not marrying anybody! Especially not some  
little kid!"  
  
"I suppose I'll just have to choose someone else then," replied  
Ranma simply as he turned his gaze towards Nabiki and Kasumi.  
  
Soun sat up and remained silent as he took up his place at the  
head of the table. "Tell me, Saotome is he really..."  
  
"I'm afraid so, he died honorably," said Ranma simply as his face  
took on a seriousness that the girls had yet to see from him.  
  
"How?" asked Soun.  
  
"In the final battle of Jusendo, against the Musk Dynasty,"  
answered Ranma with a slight tensing in his voice.  
  
"You were involved with that?" asked Akane as her eyes suddenly  
became wide in shock. Her sister's reactions were similar.  
  
It was no small matter, several years ago war had erupted in China  
between three factions, the Chinese Government, the Musk Dynasty, and  
The Joketsuko. In the end the Chinese government had won, but at heavy  
cost.  
  
An alliance between them and the Joketsuko was formed; they all  
but wiped out the Musk Tribe.  
  
"Yes, we were forced into service in the Chinese military, we  
fought bravely until the end for the cause," replied Ranma simply.  
  
"I'm sorry," said Kasumi gently.  
  
Ranma nodded, "I would have joined even if they hadn't forced us."  
  
  
Akane nodded as her eyes fell on the sword that hung at Ranma's  
side; the Japanese government had sympathized with the communist  
government despite past relations with them. Japan was against the  
Musk and what they represented during the course of the drawn out war  
that lasted almost nine years. Herb was a monarch, a complete and  
total ruler. His rise to power had shaken many of the democracies  
around the world.  
  
Soun smiled at the boy and took him by the shoulder. "Well, now  
that you're here, these are my three daughters! Pick anyone you like  
and she'll be your new fiancee!"  
  
Ranma blinked and his serious face was gone in an instant. "Well,  
we have plenty of time to consider that later."  
  
"Oh, he want's Akane!" said Nabiki sweetly.  
  
"Most definitely," agreed Kasumi as they pushed their younger  
sister towards him.  
  
"What? Why would I...?" snapped Akane before Nabiki cut her off.  
  
"He's one of those strong martial artist types, you two should get  
along well!" reasoned the girl desperately. "Besides, you're the only  
one young enough to marry him without looking weird," she whispered  
into her sister's ear as she gave the boy a sidelong glance.  
  
"What?!" cried Akane in shock.  
  
"He is a bit young, but perhaps you'll grow to love him?" said  
Kasumi cheerfully.  
  
"There's no need to be pushy, we have lots of time before..."  
started Ranma as he looked at her as she crossed her arms and looked  
away from him purposefully.  
  
"So, Akane it is Saotome," said Soun cheerfully as he pat the boy  
on his shoulder.  
  
"Now wait a minute Tendo I..." started Ranma, it seemed everyone  
was ignoring him.  
  
Akane glared at him with a stare that was almost pure hatred. "I'm  
leaving," she stomped up to her room and slammed the door, after a  
moment it opened back up and she stuck her head out again. "I'm not  
marrying him!"  
  
Soun looked at Ranma and smiled. "Don't worry, just give her a  
little time, she'll warm up to you."  
  
Ranma merely blinked again and opened his mouth. Nabiki covered it  
quickly and winked. "Don't worry Ranma, I'm sure you and Akane will  
get along fine."  
  
The boy hung his head and sighed. "I see..."  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
Soun looked at the board in shock, he had intended to sit and  
reminisce about his old friend while playing a friendly game of Shogi  
with the man's son. Unfortunately, the boy was wiping the floor with  
him quite nicely, despite the fact that he was cheating as much as  
possible under the boy's careful gaze.  
  
Ranma started a casual conversation. "So, how is the dojo doing?"  
  
Soun looked up at him and blinked as he realized he had been asked  
a question. "Well enough, we don't take many students nowadays."  
  
"That's too bad," replied Ranma with a shrug as he placed a tile  
down on the board.  
  
Soun looked back and fourth between his side and Ranma's and  
started to sweat a little. "It seems you have me."  
  
"It does?" said Ranma as he raised his eyebrow slightly and looked  
at the board, he saw at least three ways Tendo could retaliate. "So  
tell me Tendo, what kind of girl is your daughter?"  
  
"Ah, trying to find out what you've gotten yourself into now?"  
asked the man as he leaned over the board and pat his shoulder.  
  
"Something like that," replied Ranma with a knowing smile.  
  
"Well, her measurements are twenty-seven, twenty..." started Soun.  
  
Ranma merely blinked and stared at the man in shock. "Oro?"  
  
+++++++++  
  
A few moments later Kasumi walked up to Ranma with a small armload  
of sheets. "I'll show you to your room Ranma."  
  
"Thank you," replied the boy with a pleasant smile as he stood up.  
  
Kasumi blinked and felt a tiny pang of regret for dumping him off  
on Akane; he seemed like such a nice boy. She shook the thoughts away,  
he was after all, still a boy.  
  
As she led him into the spare room she turned to see him placing  
his traveling bag on the ground and glancing around at the windows and  
the closet carefully. The boy smiled and bowed to her, "Thank you  
again, Tendo."  
  
"Oh, you can call me big sister if you want too!" she replied  
cheerfully and blushed at her reaction to his formality.  
  
"How about, just Kasumi for now?" said Ranma wryly.  
  
"That will be fine," replied the girl. "Would you like to take a  
bath now? I just filled up the furo a short time ago."  
  
"I'd like that, thank you," replied Ranma.  
  
++++++++++++++++  
  
A few moments later, he sat on a stool looking at his reflection  
in the mirror. His hair dripped with the water he had dumped over his  
head and ran down his breast creating a strange yet familiar  
sensation. Ranma-chan sighed heavily as she stared at herself and  
stood up turning her back and inspecting herself.  
  
"How do I tell them about this?" she wondered out loud. "Well, I  
suppose there's no need to if I'm not staying long."  
  
After a moment she stepped into the water and relaxed feeling the  
change overtake her again. "This is nice."  
  
A noise caught his attention outside the doorway and he looked back at  
it for a moment. Whoever it was turned away and left again a moment  
later. He shrugged his shoulders and continued to relax.  
  
++++++++++++++++  
  
Akane looked at the basket and saw Ranma's clothes there. She frowned  
slightly and turned back out the door. "Kasumi, why did you tell me  
the bath was ready when Ranma's already in there?"  
  
"Sorry, I must have forgot about him," replied her sister sweetly as  
she stuck her head out of the kitchen.  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
It was evening, Ranma stood out in the yard and breathed calmly as he  
stood silently with his sword in his hands. He slowly opened his eyes  
and stepped forward in the first motion of a slow kata. His movements  
were smooth and precise, nothing fast or particularly flashy. It was  
flawlessly executed though.  
Nearby just inside the house Nabiki Tendo watched carefully while  
eating a bag of chips. Beside her Akane sat staring at the spectacle  
only half way interested. "What style is that? It isn't Anything  
Goes..." she commented.  
  
Ranma appeared beside her with his grin still plastered on his face.  
"It's called Hiten Mitsurugi style."  
  
Akane blinked for a moment and stared at him, she hadn't even realized  
he was finished yet. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" She slapped him  
across his face and he merely stood there looking at her.  
  
"Oro?"  
  
"Very impressive," noted Soun calmly as he nodded in approval. "I take  
it you learned it while you were in China. I've heard rumors of a  
Japanese man who killed with decisive efficiency during the wars. Did  
you happen to meet him?"  
  
"He was called Battosai," said Nabiki as her father handed her a small  
yen bill with a questioning look on his face.  
  
"Thank you Nabiki, tell me Ranma, did you know this Battosai?" said  
Soun cheerfully.  
  
"The name does sound familiar, I've been practicing Hiten Mitsurugi  
style almost as long as Anything Goes. I don't remember where I  
learned it, but it is very important to me for some reason. I can not  
stop, I think it was a promise I made..." the boy trailed off and  
looked into the distance outside.  
  
"Hmm, I see. Well, I suppose we can spar a little tomorrow after you  
get back from school, I'm getting out of practice myself," said Soun  
cheerfully.  
  
"Oro?" said Ranma as he whipped his head around with a confused look  
on his face. "School?"  
  
"Well, you are going to be staying a while Saotome," replied the man  
calmly.  
  
"I suppose I should return to school, I kind of forgot what with all  
the excitement over the past few years," said Ranma with a small laugh  
as he scratched the back of his head as if purposely avoiding  
something.  
  
"Honestly," growled Akane half-heartedly as she turned away from the  
men.  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
Ruroni Ranma  
  
Chapter 2  
  
The soul of the true samurai.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
Ranma sat across from Soun Tendo, the three daughters had recently  
gone to sleep while the men sat together in the living room around the  
table talking. Soun relayed old stories about the boy's father, while  
Ranma recounted a few tales from China. He skirted around the years  
they had spent in battle though. Soun let the matter pass; Ranma would  
reveal those things to him when he felt comfortable with it. After a  
long moment, around eleven o'clock, Ranma suddenly became serious.  
  
"Tendo, I'm sorry to say this, but I'll be leaving tomorrow," he bowed  
politely and sat with an almost rigid position across from the man.  
  
Soun's face fell as he looked at the boy in shock. "Pardon?"  
  
"I said I'll be leaving tomorrow in the morning," repeated Ranma  
simply.  
  
"Why? Where are you going? When will you return?" said Tendo as he did  
not quite understand what the boy was telling him.  
  
Ranma took in a deep breath and hung his head. "I won't be coming  
back, it is obvious to me that none of your daughters desires this  
marriage. I will not force myself on any of them, even as a last  
request from my father."  
  
Soun looked at the boy and suddenly became almost as calm as he was.  
"I see..."  
  
"I am truly sorry, Tendo, but I cannot force an unhappy marriage upon  
one of your daughters," Ranma was stern and did not waver under the  
man's harsh glare.  
  
Soun's face softened slightly and he bowed before Ranma. "I have a  
request of you."  
  
This took the boy by surprise and he raised his eyebrow slightly.  
"Yes, Tendo?"  
  
"Give it one month, that is all I ask. Akane has never had a good  
relationship with a boy. She is hostile towards most men, I believe  
she will grow to like you quickly, Saotome, but it will take time for  
a girl like her. Please, all I ask is for you to remain here one  
month. If she still does not wish you to stay, you may leave with your  
honor intact."  
  
Ranma paused for a moment and seemed to consider this, it didn't take  
long. "All right, Tendo, I give your daughters one month. If one of  
them does not ask me to remain here, I will leave."  
  
"You have my gratitude," said Soun with a relieved sigh. "Now, it's  
getting pretty late, you do have school tomorrow do you not Saotome?"  
  
Ranma blinked. "I suppose you're right."  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
The next morning Ranma stood waiting for Akane outside the dojo. The  
girl came running out, and stopped cold as she saw him standing there.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"Your father thought it might be a good idea if we walked together  
Akane," replied the boy simply.  
  
She looked him up and down and frowned when she realized he was  
wearing the same kind of clothes he was wearing the day before. They  
were slightly different; a flame pattern was dyed into the sleeves and  
waist.  
  
He smiled at her and started walking. "Why don't you just go by  
yourself? I don't want anything to do with you."  
  
Ranma didn't turn to face her; he merely stopped and spoke to her.  
"One month."  
  
"What?" said the girl in confusion.  
  
"I told your father I would remain one month, if you still wish me  
gone a month from now I will leave without question," Ranma started to  
walk towards the school once again; suddenly he stopped and looked  
thoughtful. "I just realized I don't know where this school is at.  
Perhaps you could show me?" When he turned to face her the smile was  
there again as if it had never left his face.  
  
Akane shrugged and started walking beside him. "All right, I'll show  
you, the middle school is this way..." She took a turn by the  
chiropractor's office on the corner.  
  
"Um, Akane? I should be going to high school shouldn't I?" said Ranma  
in confusion.  
  
Akane looked at him and frowned. "Look, I don't care about this  
engagement thing, but if you think I'm gonna drag you to school with  
me just because we're engaged..."  
  
Ranma coughed into his hand. "Um, I'm sixteen years old Akane."  
  
The girl blinked and stared at him for a moment in complete shock,  
unable to speak, finally she let her jaw drop. "SIXTEEN?!" After a  
moment she recovered and turned away from him. "Fine, when we get  
there we don't know each other."  
  
"Fair enough," said Ranma simply.  
  
"Right," Akane started to run forward and Ranma followed close behind  
her.  
  
++++++++++++++++  
  
As they neared the school Ranma jumped away from a small old woman who  
was emptying a bucket of water on the sidewalk; he paused and  
inspected himself by looking down and patting his chest. He gave a  
relieved smile and started forward again after a second or two.  
  
"What is it?" said Akane as she stopped and turned back to him.  
  
"Sorry, just making sure," replied the boy simply as he started  
forward again.  
  
Akane rolled her eyes and continued forward towards Furinkan with a  
strange determination in her stride. "I hate boys," she muttered under  
her breath as her speed increased as they came closer to the school.  
  
Ranma appeared next to her keeping up with her stride easily; his face  
suddenly became serious. "Why do I get the feeling you're preparing  
for battle?"  
  
Akane ignored him and blasted into the crowd that awaited her. Ranma  
gaped in shock and frowned as he watched the scene carefully with his  
hand on the hilt of his blade.  
  
After a moment he paused and strode forward purposefully ignoring the  
battle around him. Finally he came to stop and leaned against a wall  
waiting patiently for the fight to end. It did rather quickly and he  
watched a nearby tree without moving as Akane finished off her  
attackers.  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
Nabiki sat and watched the exchange from her usual place in the  
window. "What's he doing here?" she wondered as she saw Ranma run up  
behind him. "He must have walked her to school. How cute." One of her  
friends walked up beside her and followed her gaze down to Ranma.  
  
Nabiki was about to call out to the boy when she realized that he was  
watching the tree. Kuno stood in waiting just behind it patiently. She  
frowned and realized that there was no way he could see the boy from  
the angle he was standing at. Still, he sat and waited. "What's he up  
to?"  
  
"What was that boss?" asked her friend as she turned her gaze towards  
her in confusion.  
  
"Nothing," replied Nabiki calmly.  
  
++++++++++++++++  
  
Akane finished up the last of her opponents and panted while remaining  
in a ready stance. Her hand darted up in time to catch a single rose  
that had flown into her hand.  
  
"What fools these mortals be, they seek the honor of your company on  
the eve that they might defeat you," said a voice as a tall almost  
bishonen looking boy emerged from his cover and stepped out into the  
open. "Now, might you spar with me?" the boy chuckled to himself as he  
held his boken up towards her.  
  
Akane was about to answer the challenge when a new voice spoke up.  
  
"I think I've seen about enough."  
  
Kuno turned and saw the strange boy leaning against the wall with his  
head bent down. He growled when he noticed the sword hanging at his  
side and his familiar dress. "Who might you be boy? Were you not  
taught how to respect your elders?"  
  
"Elders?" Ranma frowned for a moment and looked up at the kendoist.  
"I'm just a vagabond who's found place to stay for a while. I must say  
your technique is cowardly."  
  
"Who are you to speak of such things?" snapped the boy as he diverted  
his attention from Akane for a moment.  
  
Ranma ignored him. "Using weaker opponents to wear her down, so that  
you can take advantage of her weakened state and defeat her easily. A  
masterful plan, but hardly the way of a true warrior. If you truly  
wished to test your own strength you'd do it without all this  
pageantry. If you truly believe yourself to be a samurai of honor you  
will stop this and face her alone."  
  
"Who are you boor? How dare you speak so to one such as myself!"  
snapped Kuno as he stepped towards the boy.  
  
"As I said, I'm just a vagabond, nothing for you to concern yourself  
with. Let her go peacefully, otherwise she might be late for class,"  
replied Ranma simply. "Please."  
  
Kuno looked like he was about to burst a vein. "How-how dare you! A  
lowborn fool like yourself cannot begin to comprehend the honor of  
this battle! Do you know who it is you address? I am the mighty True  
Battosai of Furinkan High! The rising new star of the high school  
fencing world; Tatewaki Kuno!" Kuno stepped forward holding the boken  
in an offensive position.  
  
Ranma's eyes narrowed as he stepped back. "I did not come here to  
fight with you."  
  
"You speak of honor and wield a steel blade against an opponent with a  
bokuto," replied Kuno as he pointed to the scabbard at the boy's side.  
  
  
Ranma shook his head. "You misunderstand, this isn't a blade that can  
kill."  
  
"What foolishness is this? How can a blade of steel not kill? Is that  
not the art of the sword?" Kuno seemed to puff himself up in what  
appeared to be the worst bluff of all time.  
  
Ranma removed his hand and smiled. "This is not the time or the place  
for such things, I ask that you stand down."  
  
Both men stood off in the center of the schoolyard Ranma ignored  
Kuno's stares and simply smiled at him. "So be it, I shall issue my  
challenge at a later date," announced Kuno as he turned to address the  
crowd, the crowd that was no longer there. "What is this?"  
  
Ranma looked up and saw Akane Tendo disappearing into the doors of the  
school. She stopped long enough to stick her tongue out at both of  
them and slammed the door behind herself. The pair stood alone in the  
courtyard for a few moments until the first bell of the day rang.  
  
Ranma could only say one thing. "Oro?"  
  
++++++++++++++++  
  
A few moments later Ranma stood out in the hallway after his short  
introduction to the class. In his hands was a pair of buckets filled  
with water. He sighed to himself and looked up at the ceiling. "What  
have I gotten myself into?"  
  
Tatewaki Kuno stared Nabiki down at her desk. "What? You say you know  
this strange vagabond? Tell me who this stranger is!"  
  
"Oh, Kuno baby, that is really going to cost you," replied the girl  
sweetly.  
  
With righteous tears in his eyes Kuno set down a wad of bills on her  
desk. "Tell me who this miscreant is so that I might deliver my  
message of challenge!"  
  
"His name is Ranma Saotome, and he's Akane's new fiancee," replied  
Nabiki with a smirk as she accepted the money from him cheerfully.  
  
Kuno froze and simply stared at her, "Wh-what?" The entire class had  
gone silent as well.  
  
"Three thousand yen for a repeat performance Kuno baby," said the girl  
shrewdly.  
  
+++++++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma was passing the time away humming to himself as he waited to get  
called back into the room. He felt something vaguely familiar from  
down the hall and turned to see Kuno charging him with his boken  
ready. He blinked for a moment and stepped back in a battle ready  
stance dropping his buckets to the floor.  
  
"I Tatewaki Kuno, shall not allow this travesty to continue!" roared  
the boy angrily as he sliced at Ranma. The boy retaliated by raising  
his scabbard up and blocking easily. Kuno seemed beyond anger. "Never,  
never shall I allow this engagement! I shall never allow your  
engagement too, Akane Tendo!"  
  
Ranma's eyes went wide as the boy shouted. He hadn't told anyone about  
it, as far as everyone else was concerned up till now he didn't even  
know Akane Tendo.  
  
The windows to the nearby classrooms flew open as hundreds of shouting  
students leaned out of them and shouted for verification of this new  
rumor. Ranma grit his teeth and jumped away from Kuno just in time to  
avoid another strike from his weapon.  
  
++++++++++++++++  
  
Akane Tendo sat at her desk fuming with anger. "How dare he! How dare  
he butt in on my fight?!" She scowled angrily and looked at the  
silhouetted figure standing just outside the doorway. "When I get home  
I'm gonna give him a piece of..." She froze as a familiar voice  
floated into the room from outside. The teacher looked at her as she  
stood up from her seat with a look of horror on her face.  
  
"Is something wrong Miss Tendo?" said the man impatiently. He was  
promptly cut off as a shout from the hallway told him what was wrong.  
  
Akane's vision suddenly became red as the entire class looked at her  
in almost perfect unison. There was no doubt in her mind everyone  
thought she was some kind of weirdo pervert as young as he looked. "I-  
I-I'll kill him!"  
  
+++++++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma was having a bit of a difficult time in his battle in the  
hallway. The narrow space didn't give him much room to move around and  
he didn't really want to hurt this boy now. He turned away and jumped  
out of the path of another strike. "This is not the place to fight  
Kuno."  
  
That stopped the upperclassman for a moment. "I see, lead on then!"  
Ranma looked back at the room and turned away leading Kuno down the  
hall. He smirked as he jumped out of an open window and noticed the  
student body closing in behind them.  
  
Akane rushed forward as Kuno followed and snapped at Ranma angrily.  
"This is the third floor fool!"  
  
"Oro?" said Ranma as he balanced on the top of a flagpole just outside  
the window. He was leaning over and looking down in confusion at Kuno,  
who was face down in the pool three stories below. "I was going up to  
the roof, but I guess he couldn't keep up with me." He looked a little  
ashamed and stepped back into the building.  
  
"Why didn't you just take the stairs!?" snapped the girl angrily.  
  
"Oh, yeah..." Ranma turned his head and looked at the flight of stairs  
that wasn't even ten feet away from him.  
  
Akane merely hung her head and sighed. In the back of her mind she  
wondered if he ever intended to fight Kuno at all. Perhaps it had just  
been luck that he jumped out onto the flagpole instead of into the  
water below?  
  
Ranma stood next to her and glanced out the window nervously. "Well,  
that was a close one," he muttered to himself as he eyed the water  
below where the kendoist floated face down.  
  
+++++++++++++++++  
  
Kuno walked out of the pool and shook off his arms as he turned  
towards the building and glared upwards in anger. "Ranma Saotome, I  
shall not forget this offence! Be ready for my challenge!" He sat down  
there on the pavement and fished a soaking wet notepad and pencil from  
his shirt. "You will suffer for this humiliation!" he started to laugh  
to himself as he scrawled, or attempted do considering the condition  
of his utensils.  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
Ruroni Ranma  
  
Part 3  
  
Kuno Strikes Back.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
Ranma Saotome sat at the table and glanced at the sheet of paper that  
had been given to him calmly. "A letter of challenge?" He sighed and  
tossed it across the table.  
  
"Serves you right for butting in on my fight," snapped the youngest  
Tendo angrily. She froze suddenly; the note in her hand began to shake  
as she read the challenge carefully.  
  
"What is it sis?" Nabiki peeked over her shoulder and gasped.  
  
"Ranma Saotome, I hereby challenge you to a battle of honor, your  
cowardly ways shall come to light as my mighty and swift justice comes  
upon you. Meet me tomorrow on the field of battle as I show you the  
might of a true samurai of noble blood. I shall meet your challenge  
with steel and a noble heart. Come prepared. Yours truly, Tatewaki  
Kuno, the True Battosai of Furinkan High."  
  
"Ranma, he's going to use a real sword! One of you will be killed!"  
gasped Nabiki with a horrified look on her face.  
  
Ranma blinked and looked at her. He took the letter back and read it  
again. "Hmm, So it seems..." He turned towards the girl and smiled.  
  
"Don't worry Nabiki. I won't kill him."  
  
"What?" said Akane in confusion. "You'll get yourself killed! Kuno  
might not be much of a fighter, but his kendo skills are exceptional.  
Especially when facing a male opponent!"  
  
"Don't worry about it, I can handle myself." replied Ranma simply.  
  
"Let me guess, the war in China right?" said Nabiki flatly.  
  
Ranma nodded his head quietly.  
  
Akane gasped in shock and looked at the boy oddly. "You killed during  
the war?"  
  
"That is what one does in a war Akane, I have a lot of blood on my  
hands," replied the boy simply.  
  
"Tell me, what is this True Battosai nonsense Tatewaki is going on  
about?" asked Ranma. "He's a Kendoist, does he even know what Battosai  
means?"  
  
"You of all people should know that, you said you met this Battosai  
character," replied Nabiki with a smug grin.  
  
"Oro?" said Ranma as he blinked at them.  
  
Akane sighed, "Kuno thinks of himself as a samurai, a noble. So  
naturally when a real samurai becomes a legend in a war like that he  
makes him his hero."  
  
"He thinks of Battosai as a hero?" said Ranma in confusion.  
  
Akane seemed quite miffed at this insinuation. "Battosai was a hero,  
people still talk about him today when they hear about him fighting  
against the Musk during the war."  
  
Ranma seemed a little upset by this. "I always thought he was the kind  
of guy who faded away and never made it into the history books. A  
shadow assassin, who was never really known," he looked oddly  
thoughtful for a moment. "Hero huh? Weird."  
  
"Well, normally I suppose he would, but he was a major player in an  
important war, and also one of a very few Japanese nationals involved  
with it." Nabiki shrugged her shoulders and went back to her bag of  
chips. "I guess it's just circumstance."  
  
"Quite so," agreed Ranma as he went back to studying the letter. "But  
what to do about this fool? I don't really want to fight him."  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
As the sun set Ranma stood alone in a field. He waited patiently for  
his opponent as the hour dragged on. "He's late."  
  
Almost as if on cue Tatewaki Kuno appeared on the street silhouetted  
in the setting sun as he approached the designated battleground. Both  
men were dressed in traditional samurai garb, with Ranma being a bit  
flashier overall with his bright red shirt.  
  
"So, you finally decided to show up did you?" asked Ranma smugly.  
  
"I felt the need for an appropriate entrance," replied the boy calmly  
as he lifted a rose to his nose and smiled.  
  
"I can understand that, but all this pageantry still says nothing for  
your skills. Tell me, why am I here facing you?" Ranma remained calm  
and watched the boy look up in surprise.  
  
"You have insulted my honor, and interfered with my sacred battle with  
Akane Tendo," replied Kuno angrily.  
  
"These are killing offences?" said Ranma in a questioning voice.  
  
"I would choose the honorable path, such is the way of a samurai,"  
replied Kuno with a shrug. "My honor must be avenged."  
  
"The one you chose to name yourself after, never believed that. There  
is no justice in killing over such foolishness... Besides, I never  
stopped you from facing her; I merely pointed out that it was  
dishonorable to have others attack her before you merely to wear her  
down. I will not stand between you if you wish to continue, after all  
no one was really hurt by this," Ranma met his gaze coolly and smiled.  
"So let's just forget this all right?"  
  
"For deceiving young maidens with your young looks and forcing  
yourself upon Akane Tendo. I cannot allow this transgression to  
continue, have at thee!" roared Kuno as he charged forward and drew  
his blade.  
  
Ranma merely sidestepped the strike and stepped away from him as Kuno  
staggered for a moment after missing. "You have good technique, but  
your killing power is extremely lacking, I bet you've never taken a  
life before have you?"  
  
"So, you say my sword ki is low?" replied Kuno with a chuckle, "Tell  
me knave, how would one such as yourself know of such things?"  
  
Ranma merely smiled and got into a low stance with his hand on the  
hilt of his sword, his aura seemed to grow ten times as strong. Kuno's  
hand loosened and his grip on his sword faltered for a moment, he  
froze in place with a look of terror crossing his features as he  
simply gaped in awe at the strange boy before him. "This is... it is  
impossible! No man could be stronger than I with the blade! It is not  
possible to exceed perfection!"  
  
Ranma smiled at this; "There is no such thing as perfection in battle.  
There is always a way to defeat even the strongest of opponents, it is  
one of many hard lessons I had to learn in my life. Now, let's end  
this foolish battle peacefully, I have no desire to draw against you."  
  
Kuno seemed to snap out of his trance and pulled the blade up right  
before charging again. "You speak wisely; however, I shall not lose  
today!" He rushed forward sending the blade towards Ranma hundreds of  
times in the space of a few seconds. "As with the mighty Battosai of  
Japan, my kendo is unrivaled!"  
  
Ranma ran backwards avoiding the strikes easily with a firm look on  
his face. "The one you call Battosai does not use kendo, he uses Hiten  
Mitsurugi style Batojitsu. That is how he earned his name."  
  
Kuno blinked in shock and staggered for a moment, just long enough for  
Ranma to jump comfortably out of range. "How do you know of such  
things? Do you take me for a fool! Everyone knows that kendo is the  
strongest art of Japan! Only Sumo Wrestling comes close to it's mighty  
power! What else would the great hero of Japan use against her  
enemies?" He charged again bringing his sword down in a wide arc  
towards Ranma.  
  
The ponytailed martial artist merely stepped back as his hand flew to  
the hilt of his sword. He thrust out in an upward cutting motion and  
Kuno's blade was stopped cold and thrown up leaving his belly open to  
attack. Ranma wasted no opportunity to strike and Kuno fell to his  
knees clutching his wound.  
  
"So, this is how it ends, a noble death for one such as I. I am  
pleased to have died in battle against a fellow samurai," Kuno coughed  
and fell forward onto the ground as his belly burned in pain.  
  
"You've obviously never had a sword wound before," said Ranma with a  
slightly amused chuckle. "Don't worry, I cannot kill, not ever again,"  
Ranma was standing with his sword draw at his side with his back  
turned towards Kuno in a rather dramatic pose. "Still, it was a good  
match, perhaps we can do it again without our steel blades sometime."  
  
"What?" Kuno reached down to his stomach and felt the blow. It was  
badly bruised, but there was no cut. He coughed again and struggled to  
rise to his feet only to fall again as he turned to see Ranma placing  
his sword back in the scabbard. He gasped as he saw the blade just  
before Ranma finished sheathing it "A Sakabato?"  
  
"Yes, a reversed blade. I swore I would not kill once the battles  
ended in China. I will only use my sword to protect those who need it.  
Akane Tendo does not need your idle threats or your love, go and find  
another passion for your heart," the boy turned away and started  
walking off into the darkness as the sun finally fell, leaving the  
night sky behind.  
  
"China? Battles?" he pushed the thoughts aside for the time being. "I  
cannot give up my love for her, it shall burn eternal!"  
  
Ranma turned back and glanced at him with an odd look on his face. "So  
be it, but I suggest you find another way to prove your affections to  
her. Anything between us ends here Kuno. I don't need another enemy."  
  
Kuno finally found the strength to rise to his feet as he watched the  
boy walk away. He looked down at his blade and noticed a chip fall  
away where the Sakabato had struck it. "A very strange man indeed." He  
fell to quiet musings and put the blade away before walking towards  
his home.  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma entered the Tendo house and smiled as Kasumi walked out of the  
Kitchen with a pan in her hands. "Oh, Ranma! You're just in time for  
dinner!"  
  
"Oh good," said the boy pleasantly. He sat down with the family and  
looked around when he noticed no one had started eating yet. "Oro?"  
  
"Well?" said Nabiki excitedly; there was a hint of nervousness in her  
voice.  
  
"Well what?" asked Ranma seemingly oblivious.  
  
"What happened dolt?" screamed Akane in frustration as she slammed her  
fists on the table cracking it down the middle.  
  
"Saotome, I'm not going to get a call from the police about this later  
am I?" asked Soun with a slightly worried tone.  
  
"Police? About what?" asked Ranma in confusion.  
  
"Ohmygod! He killed Kuno!" screeched Nabiki.  
  
"Ara, you bastard," said Kasumi sweetly. Everyone looked at her for a  
moment and she blushed.  
  
"Kuno is fine," replied Ranma simply as he continued to give Kasumi a  
slightly odd stare. "Well, not really, but he isn't dead at any rate."  
  
"That is a relief to hear," said Soun a little more relaxed. The  
family settled down for the evening after that and enjoyed themselves.  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
After the meal was over, Ranma stood up and grabbed some of the dishes  
off the table. "I'll help you with this Kasumi."  
  
"Oh, don't worry about it Ranma, I can handle it," she said sweetly.  
  
"I insist, I don't want to be a dead weight around here," replied the  
boy firmly.  
  
"Oh, all right, you can help dry them off. How's that?" Ranma nodded  
at her suggestion and smiled.  
  
"That pervert had better stop hitting on my sister," growled Akane  
angrily as she cracked the table under her grip.  
  
"Why not? If you don't like him what's wrong with Kasumi taking him  
instead? Did it ever occur to you that he might want to earn his keep  
around here? He's young, but I bet he'll grow up handsome, maybe  
Kasumi will notice it and let you off the hook?" replied Nabiki with a  
small smile on her lips.  
  
Akane turned her head away and 'Humphed' as a huge blush crossed her  
face.  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
The next morning Ranma whistled to himself as he walked towards  
Furinkan High in his brand new school uniform. "I hate new clothes,  
the fabric is all itchy." He scratched at his back lazily and stayed  
fairly close to Akane as she walked despite repeated attempts by her  
to move away from him.  
  
"Aren't you gone yet?" she snorted lazily. "Stop following me!"  
  
"I said I'd give it a month and that's what I meant," replied Ranma  
dryly as he put his hands behind his head and looked away from her.  
  
"Don't worry, you've only got three and a half more weeks to put up  
with me."  
  
Akane seemed to turn to stone on the spot as a single tear fell down  
her face. "Three weeks?"  
  
"It's not that bad!" said Ranma as he turned away and continued to  
walk with a neutral look on his face.  
  
Once they reached the school grounds Akane froze as she saw... no one.  
There were no boys waiting for her in a huge mob. Something had  
happened.  
  
She turned towards Ranma and frowned. "What did you do to them?"  
  
"Do?" said Ranma looking completely oblivious once again.  
  
Akane almost jumped when a rose flew from behind a tree and landed in  
her palm. "Eeek!"  
  
Kuno emerged from behind the tree and smiled at her. His bandages  
showed through his shirt easily and he leaned against his bokuto as he  
stepped towards her. "Akane Tendo, I have revoked my challenge. From  
this day forth, no man shall lay a hand upon the head of Akane Tendo  
without facing the wrath of the True Battosai of Furinkan High. This  
is my gift to you," he bowed dramatically and strolled away leaving  
Akane in shock.  
  
"That was certainly nice of him, of course it would have been better  
if he never issued the challenge in the first place, but..." Ranma was  
cut off as Akane became angry again.  
  
"I don't need you to protect me you jerk!" she screamed as she charged  
and performed a flying sidekick that hit Kuno in the back of his head  
and dropped him like a rock.  
  
"Oy?" said Ranma as he poked at the boy lightly as he lay on the  
ground.  
  
"You ok?" He looked up at Akane and smiled. "A very independent  
woman."  
  
Kuno appeared to be crying tears of joy. "Such ferocity. Surely she  
intends to show her spirit and true love for me by continuing our  
honorable combat even though I can no longer partake in it with her!"  
  
Ranma blinked. "Orooro?"  
  
TBC...  
  
C&C to: Carrotglace@juno.com.  
  
  
  
  



	2. Rurouni Ranma [Part 2]

Ruroni Ranma  
  
Part 4  
  
The secret of Jusenkyo.  
  
++++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma hummed to himself cheerfully as he snapped the shirt out with a  
quick flick of his wrist releasing a spray of water that seemed to  
sparkle in the afternoon sun. He smiled and pinned the garment up with  
a clothespin on the long line that ran from the lower portion of the  
roof across the yard. Kasumi smiled as she handed him another basket  
cheerfully. "Thank you for helping Ranma, I appreciate it."  
  
"It's no problem, I enjoy this kind of thing. It's relaxing," said the  
boy cheerfully as he walked over to the other end of the line and  
began to hang the contents of the basket. He turned around and smiled  
as Akane turned the corner and stopped in her tracks.  
  
"Wh-what are you doing?" screamed the girl.  
  
"Laundry," replied the boy in confusion unsure about the source of her  
sudden anger.  
  
"Those are mine you pervert!" screamed the girl as she snatched the  
basket of panties from him.  
  
"Oro?" Ranma looked at what was in his hand and blinked. "I didn't  
even realize what these were until you said something. If you'd rather  
hang them yourself  
I'll understand."  
  
"You pervert!" screamed the girl as she dropped the basket and raised  
her fist.  
  
"Oh, hello Akane! Ranma offered to help me with the laundry today,  
wasn't that nice of him?" said Kasumi cheerfully as she walked between  
them ending the stand off instantly.  
  
"Watch yourself," muttered the girl darkly as she turned away.  
  
"What was that about?" wondered Ranma as he grabbed a large sheet from  
Kasumi's basket and pinned it up.  
  
Kasumi walked up to him and smiled. "Don't worry about it, she's just  
a little sensitive." The girl stopped and looked down slightly.  
  
"Oh, I see," replied the boy as he turned away and continued his work.  
  
+++++++++++++++++  
  
Nabiki Tendo put down a magazine and sighed. She had just read yet  
another article about the war in China. The article was by an obvious  
feminist who claimed that Battosai was in fact a woman who worked with  
the Amazons near the end of the war despite having killed a number of  
them in previous battles before the alliance between them and the  
Chinese government was formed. There was a little speculation about  
it, but it was mostly put off as feminist propaganda instilled to help  
their cause.  
  
"Hmm, Ranma said he met Battosai once, maybe I should ask him about  
it?" she frowned slightly at the idea and pushed it aside for the time  
being. "I bet Kuno would have a heart attack if he found out it was  
true." The mere thought of it was enough to send her into a fit of  
giggles. The Kendoist would probably deny it though no matter how much  
proof she forced down his throat. She tossed the magazine onto her bed  
and went off in search of the boy.  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Deep in the woods of Southern Japan a figure walked through the woods  
scowling to himself. He was dressed in traveling clothes; a white  
cotton over shirt hung loosely off his shoulders with a large pack  
resting on his back. On his forehead was a blood red bandanna that  
held his bangs out of his face. Rain poured around him as he walked  
with lightening flashing in the sky above him. Strangely enough an  
umbrella sat untouched across the top of his pack. He walked on  
purposefully not stopping or slowing his stride despite the weather.  
Thunder rumbled above him creating a flash of light that shined off  
the umbrella creating a surreal silhouette to anyone that could see  
him approaching. In his hand was a wadded up page with a message  
written across it in blotted kanji.  
He smiled as he looked at it again and once again found purpose to his  
wanderings. "So, you've finally returned?" he thought to himself as he  
strode onward.  
  
Moments later he found himself on a road once again. A man moved by  
struggling with a large cart while holding an umbrella over his head  
to defend himself from the rain. He stopped and looked at the figure  
fearfully as he approached.  
  
"Please! I don't have any money!" It was an obvious lie judging from  
the pouch that rested on his hip.  
  
The figure merely shook his head and smiled at him. "Tell me, where is  
Furinkan  
High School?" He thrust a map forward in the man's face causing a  
relieved look that was followed by confusion.  
  
"Isn't this Tokyo? You're on the wrong island," replied the man.  
  
"I see, sorry to trouble you," the figure walked away calmly leaving  
the confused traveler behind. "Ranma, as promised, Ryoga Hibiki will  
be your strongest opponent!"  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
Nabiki found herself walking with Ranma through the streets of Nerima  
carrying a single plastic bag of groceries while the boy lugged two  
large brown bags filled with food. "Did you want to ask me something?  
You've been awfully quiet," said the boy with a small smirk.  
  
Nabiki found she had actually enjoyed the trip with him. The look on  
the grocer's face when he saw Ranma's katana had been priceless; the  
boy had gotten a good deal on almost all of the produce he had bought  
without haggling at all.  
  
She blinked in surprise at his question and sighed. "Is it that  
obvious?"  
  
"Well, you don't seem like the type who would volunteer for this sort  
of thing," said Ranma cheerfully. "What is it you want to know?"  
  
Nabiki cleared her throat and tried to think of the best way to ask  
her question without looking like a fool. "I've read a few things  
about the war in China since you came here. A few of them were rumors  
that Battosai was a woman, I was kind of wondering if it was true. You  
did say you met him once."  
  
Ranma smiled at this and looked away. "Battosai was a man, most of the  
time."  
  
She blinked and almost dropped the bag. "What? What's that supposed to  
mean?"  
  
"It's nothing," replied the boy as he continued on his way ignoring  
her looks of frustration.  
  
A young girl brushed between them with a look of urgency on her face.  
She struggled for a moment and almost fell on her face in her rush.  
Ranma looked at her and frowned. "Are you all right?"  
  
She snapped her head around and looked at him for a moment. "I'm fine,  
excuse me."  
  
Nabiki raised her eyebrow at this exchange and turned away continuing  
towards the house. The girl was no better than street trash; she idly  
wondered why the boy would bother with her at all?  
  
Ranma stopped the girl by grabbing her arm as she tried to rush away  
again. "It looks to me like you're in some sort of trouble."  
  
"I'm fine, leggo," snapped the girl as she pulled at his arm, his grip  
was firm though and she did not escape.  
  
"Oh, can I have my wallet back then?"  
  
The child froze and slowly turned towards him with a look of fear on  
her face.  
Thinking quickly she screamed at the top of her lungs. "Pervert! How  
dare you suggest such a thing to an innocent little girl!"  
  
Ranma frowned and glanced behind him. Most of the people had turned  
away from him and the child, but a nearby police officer had taken  
notice of the situation.  
  
Thinking quickly he pulled a bottle of water from the bag of groceries  
and twisted off the cap with his teeth, before pouring its contents  
over his head.  
  
The girl had turned away for a moment and was watching the officer  
with even more fear; apparently her plan had backfired.  
  
"Uhh," she stammered as she tried to lunge away again. Ranma merely  
stood upright with her hand still firmly planted on the girl's  
shoulder.  
  
"Is there a problem here?" asked the officer, he had his baton drawn  
after he noticed the blade at the strange girl's side.  
  
Ranma smiled at him. "No, well. My little sister here ran away from  
home a few days ago after a fight with father, I ran into her just  
now."  
  
"I see," said the man as he gave the child a small frown.  
  
"Little girls shouldn't do things like that, the streets are dangerous  
you know," said the man as he knelt down and pat the girl on the head.  
  
The child snapped at his hand with her teeth. "Fuck off pig!"  
  
Ranma promptly swatted her in the head in what appeared to be a very  
sisterly gesture to the officer, almost motherly in fact. "Watch your  
mouth!"  
  
The girl snorted in disgust at this and stuck her tongue out at her.  
"You ain't no sister of mine."  
  
Ranma took it in stride though. "As you can see, she is a very poorly  
behaved child. I'll make sure father punishes her harshly when we get  
home. Thank you."  
She waved at the man as he turned away with a scowl on his face  
leaving the girl and her weird sister behind.  
  
The little girl blinked at Ranma and gasped. "Hey, weren't you a guy a  
minute ago?"  
  
"Maybe," replied the red head as she pulled her along after picking up  
her bags and carrying them one armed now.  
  
"Hey! Where are you taking me?" snapped the angry child.  
  
"I told you, I'm taking you home so that you can be properly  
punished," replied the girl simply.  
  
"Oh no! Your one of those crazy lesbians aren't you! Please don't  
ravage me!" cried the girl with genuine fear.  
  
"Well, at least let me get you cleaned up a bit. A young girl like  
yourself shouldn't be wandering the streets like this," said Ranma as  
she easily blocked the girl's strikes.  
  
++++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma stopped at a ramen booth and paid for two bowls setting one down  
in front of the girl. She was about ten years old with shoulder cut  
brown hair and dirty looking clothes. The shop owner had been  
reluctant to serve her, but a glance at the weapon at Ranma's side  
stopped any protest before they even started.  
  
"So what's your name kid?" asked Ranma coolly as she ate.  
  
The girl looked away considering escape for a moment, but the offer of  
food was a little too much for her to resist. "Yuriko," she said  
sullenly.  
  
"What's a young girl like you doing out here picking pockets for?"  
prodded Ranma while looking mostly uninterested.  
  
"I've got to. I want to be strong, but a girls got to eat ya know,"  
replied the child rudely.  
  
"I see," said the red head calmly. "What about your parents?"  
  
"If it's any of your business I ain't got one of those," retorted the  
girl angrily.  
  
Ranma blinked at this as a small wistful smile appeared on her face.  
"I can understand that."  
  
"Yeah, right," grumbled the girl as she finished up her food. "Well,  
see ya."  
  
Ranma grabbed her again and held fast despite the fact the child had  
bit her on the hand. The ponytailed martial artist ordered a cup of  
hot water just before they left the booth. Once again the girl failed  
to escape and protested loudly.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
"Tendo Dojo?" said the girl in confusion as she read the sign in front  
of her.  
  
"That's right, you said you wanted to be stronger didn't you?" replied  
Ranma as she poured the hot water over her head and walked through the  
door.  
  
The girl had become strangely silent at this and simply glared at the  
family who stared at her as she was pushed into the home. She looked  
up at the boy who was pushing her and screamed right before she passed  
out.  
  
"Oro?" said Ranma as she poked at her with her foot lightly. "Out  
cold."  
  
"Ranma, who the hell is this?" said Nabiki as she eyed the girl  
cautiously.  
  
"Her name is Yuriko, she's a new student," replied the boy with a  
smile.  
  
"Is that so?" said Soun as he sipped his tea lazily.  
  
Ranma looked towards Akane and smiled. "I hate to ask this, but could  
you get her cleaned up a little? She's a real mess right now."  
  
The girl blinked and stood up taking the child under her arms and  
towards the bathroom. She would have protested, but the situation was  
just a little too weird for her to argue at the moment.  
  
++++++++++++++++  
  
In the bathroom Yuriko woke up to find someone pulling her hair out as  
they scrubbed shampoo roughly into her scalp. "Wah! What are you  
doing?"  
  
"Getting you cleaned up, who are you? What are you doing here? How do  
you know Ranma?"  
  
"Boy you ask a lot of stuff," replied the girl smugly.  
  
"Well?" said Akane as kindly as she could.  
  
"I ain't gotta tell you nuthin old lady," snapped the girl.  
  
Akane growled for a moment before dumping a bucket of cold water over  
her head.  
  
"Hey! That's cold you old hag!"  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma looked up for a moment as a small cry of pain emerged from the  
bathroom. He set his tea down and noticed Soun was hiding inside his  
newspaper ignoring the events around him.  
  
"Since when did you take up picking up street trash?" said Nabiki  
coolly.  
  
"I like her, she reminds me of myself at that age," replied the boy  
with a shrug. "I think she needs someone."  
  
Nabiki blinked at the girl's comment and sighed. Ranma acting anything  
like the child scared her slightly. "So you're really gonna go through  
with this then?"  
  
"I don't see why not, I think it would be good for the dojo to have a  
student or two. Besides, she and Akane get along so well..."  
  
Various violent sounds emerged from the bathroom followed by screams  
of pain from both girls. A moment later Akane emerged with Yuriko in  
tow. Both of them looked tired and Yuriko was wet, while Akane just  
looked flustered and angry.  
  
She stopped long enough to stare at Ranma distastefully.  
  
"You realize that I hate you."  
  
"Oro?" replied the boy obliviously.  
  
Yuriko merely sat at the table angrily; Ranma smiled as she made no  
move to get away despite the fact that no one was watching her.  
  
Nabiki sighed and rested her head in her palm. "Well, at least this  
will be interesting."  
  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
Ruroni Ranma  
  
Part 6  
  
A busy day...  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma walked with Yuriko and Akane at his side as he lazily strolled  
down the road towards the elementary school. Akane noticed Yuriko  
standing particularly close to Ranma imitating his walk almost  
exactly. She frowned slightly and stepped up to the girl.  
  
"What are you doing you little weirdo?"  
  
Yuriko looked up at Akane and smiled. "I want to be just like Ranma  
when I grow up; she's my hero!"  
  
Ranma looked down at her and blinked. Akane coughed in her hand and  
looked at him. "Uh, did you say she?"  
  
"That's right, didn't Ranma tell you she's a girl?" said the child  
obliviously.  
  
Ranma had almost froze in place, but managed to regain himself before  
Akane turned to look at her angrily. "Ranma, what the hell is she  
talking about?"  
  
He scratched the back of his head nervously and laughed. "Umm, well,  
you see..."  
  
"Why does she think you're a girl Ranma?" snapped Akane.  
  
"You didn't know? It's obvious, she's always so polite, and she does  
all that housework. She must be a girl," reasoned Yuriko.  
  
"That's the reason you think that?" said Akane in shock as she stared  
at her new student in disbelief. "Use your eyes fool!"  
  
Ranma was about to turn away when he felt a familiar sensation wash  
across his back. Akane and Yuriko just watched with their mouths open  
in a collective shock. The now female martial artist slowly turned  
around to see a little old lady with a ladle emptying out a bucket of  
water.  
  
"See, I told you!" cried Yuriko triumphantly.  
  
"R-Ranma?" stammered Akane.  
  
"So, it seems you've found out my little secret," muttered the red  
head as she pushed her bangs out of her face.  
  
Akane froze, "No, you're not Ranma."  
  
The girl narrowed her eyes and smiled, her mannerism had almost  
completely changed. "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. Sufficed to say, this  
is one of the many interesting things that happened to me in China. I  
am male by the way."  
  
"Yuriko, get behind me!" cried Akane as she pushed the girl back away  
from Ranma instinctively.  
"What the hell happened? Where's Ranma?"  
  
"I'm still here Akane, I'm still Ranma," said the girl calmly as she  
gave them both a cool stare. "Just relax will you? I've got a lot to  
explain."  
  
"Why didn't you say anything about this before?" snapped Akane  
angrily.  
  
"If I leave at the end of the month, there is no reason to tell you  
about this," replied the girl with a shrug.  
  
"What if I ask you to stay?" growled Akane.  
  
"That seems unlikely at this point," replied the girl with a shrug.  
"Come on, I want to change back."  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
The group found themselves standing outside a restaurant that Akane  
had seen many times on the way to school. The food there was almost  
legendary as one of the best shops in Nerima. She smiled at the  
waitress as they walked in together, still managing to stay a  
comfortable distance away from Ranma. There was something about her  
that she didn't like.  
  
A pretty looking girl approached them with a smile on her face. "Hi,  
welcome to Kuonji Okonimiyaki... Oh, hi Ranma."  
  
"Morning Ukyo, can I get some hot water?" replied the girl with a  
small smile.  
  
"Sure thing sugar, are these friends of yours?" she pointed to the two  
girls and smiled at them.  
Ranma nodded. "This is my fiancee, and her student."  
  
Akane narrowed her eyes. "Ranma, you know these people?"  
  
She looked back at her and smiled slightly. "Sure I do, I come in here  
sometimes, mostly to change before I head home if I need to."  
  
"They seem like they've known you for years Ranma, I thought you only  
came to  
Nerima last week?" said Akane in disbelief.  
  
"They're friendly people, we spent a while talking the first time I  
came in. I had to explain what I needed the water for," replied Ranma  
with a shrug.  
  
Ukyo returned with the hot water and sat down at a table watching in  
fascination as Ranma used it. "Wow, that's so cool!"  
  
"I'll say," agreed Yuriko.  
  
Akane turned her head away and snorted in disgust. "One more reason to  
be rid of him." Whoever that girl was, she made her very  
uncomfortable. There was one thing she was sure of, it wasn't Ranma.  
  
"Let's get going," said the boy as he nodded his thanks to Ukyo. The  
girl smiled pleasantly in reply and waved at them as they left the  
building.  
  
"Ukyo, who was that?" said a large gruff looking man who emerged from  
the kitchen.  
  
"Just Ranma again daddy," said the girl.  
  
The man merely snorted in reply. "Well, get started on those tables, I  
want to be ready for the rush before you go to school."  
  
The girl stood from her chair and picked up a nearby rag. "Sure  
thing." She paused as a dark shadow loomed over her from behind. She  
slowly turned around to see a shadowy figure standing in the doorway.  
"Tell me, where is Furinkan High School?"  
  
Ukyo blinked as he came into focus. "Uh, about six blocks east of  
here."  
  
The boy smiled at this information and tossed his bag on the floor.  
"Then I have time to eat before I find it." He sat down at a nearby  
table as Ukyo slowly walked up to him. He was dressed in traveling  
clothes with a strange white over shirt that had the kanji for evil  
printed on its back.  
  
"What can I get for you?" asked Ukyo.  
  
"What have you got that's a lot of food for cheap?" replied the boy  
with a shrug.  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma walked with Akane as they left the building where Yuriko would  
be attending school. They exchanged tired glances between them after  
the excessive amount of paperwork that had been filled out. Since  
Yuriko did not have any parents they had to fill out triple what her  
parents would have had to do. Soun had been named the guardian, Ranma  
imagined they would have to take care of that within a few weeks or  
so. The fact that the girl was a little less than cooperative didn't  
exactly help matters.  
  
Ranma and Akane walked through the gates of Furinkan about fifteen  
minutes later. Classes had begun about an hour ago and they made their  
way towards the building. A few moments later they found themselves  
siting in class. The day went by relatively quickly, at lunch they  
found themselves sitting together.  
  
"Ranma, what happened to you today? What was that?" said Akane as she  
leaned in towards him.  
  
His face became serious as he looked towards her again. "Before we  
joined the war, my father took us to a place called Jusenkyo. The  
training ground of cursed springs. I fell into a pool called the  
spring of drowned girl."  
  
"So you turn into a girl now?" said Akane cautiously.  
  
"Sure, but I'm still me. I don't think like a girl or anything. It's  
still Ranma."  
  
Akane shifted uncomfortably. She was uncertain about that last part.  
She said nothing though and turned to find Kuno approaching them  
slowly. He neared them and paused long enough to give Akane a bouquet  
of flowers. "Akane Tendo, I would date with you."  
  
"How many times do I have to say no?!" screamed the girl angrily as  
she shoved the plants back into his face.  
  
"This unnecessary shyness is unbecoming Akane Tendo, I await the day  
that you break free of such bonds." He sighed heavily and walked away.  
  
  
"Honestly," grumbled the girl as she turned back to see Ranma ignoring  
them completely. It was as if the two boys didn't even know each other  
existed.  
  
++++++++++++++++  
  
A short time later she sat in gym class with her friends surrounding  
her. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"You're so lucky Akane, a fiancee like him. I mean look at him, he's  
polite, and handsome. The perfect gentleman all the time!" sighed one  
of the girls dreamily.  
  
"He's not," grumbled Akane knowing perfectly well that she was right.  
  
"Does he kiss good?" squealed another one of the girls.  
  
"How should I know?" she retorted with a little irritation in her  
voice.  
  
"Oh come on Akane, aren't you going to tell us anything at all?" cried  
one of the girls.  
  
"No," she snapped.  
  
++++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma sat watching the girls play softball with his class while  
waiting for their turn on the gymnastics bar.  
  
"Man she's cute," said Daisuke, the boy who sat next to him with his  
friend Hiroshi.  
  
"Isn't she though?" agreed Ranma.  
  
"You lucky dog!" grumbled Hiroshi with more than a hint of jealousy.  
  
"You'd think that wouldn't you?" sighed Ranma.  
  
"So, what's she like? Have you @#%% yet?" said Daisuke as he leaned in  
close.  
  
"Well, we aren't married yet, so no," said Ranma with a shrug.  
  
"Liar, you've #@&& huh?" pressed Daisuke.  
  
"I'll bet you've even @##$!" screamed Hiroshi as he pulled Ranma into  
a headlock.  
  
"Oro?"  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
Akane stared at Ranma with a gaze of almost pure contempt as he  
approached her after school. "This is all your fault!"  
  
"Oro?" Ranma stood in confusion as he watched her stomp off towards  
the Tendo dojo. "I'll never understand these people."  
  
He turned as someone called his name. His mood brightened slightly  
when he discovered it was not another disgruntled male student. "Ukyo?  
You go to school here?"  
  
"I'm in your class!" cried the girl in shock.  
  
"Oh, sorry," muttered the boy in embarrassment.  
  
"Don't worry, I'm not offended. I can see you spend most of your time  
looking at you fiancee in class." She giggled slightly at his  
embarrassed reaction to this.  
  
"I just don't understand people sometimes," he said with a shrug.  
"Sometimes she's very nice, other times it seems like she's angry for  
no apparent reason."  
  
"Father says that women are strange creatures indeed," said the girl  
with a small shrug.  
  
"You'd think I'd know that by now," said Ranma jokingly.  
  
"You'd definitely think you had more experience than anyone else.  
Well, I just stopped to say hi Ranma, see you later." She jogged off  
towards the Kuonji restaurant.  
  
"She's a good kid," muttered Ranma cheerfully, he didn't seem to  
notice one of Nabiki's underlings sneak away behind him.  
  
++++++++++++++++++  
  
"I've found it at last!" cried Ryoga Hibiki as he stood in front of  
Furinkan High School. He held his arms up in triumph as the students  
made their way out of the building. He grabbed one of them and held  
him up by his collar. "Where is Ranma Saotome?"  
  
"Uh, who?" said the eight year old boy in confusion.  
  
"Ranma Saotome, Ranma Saotome! Don't you know him?" cried the man in  
frustration. The little boy started to cry. "Stop that! Aren't you a  
man?" He lost his grip on the child as a sharp pain hit his shin.  
  
"You leave him alone you bully!" cried Yuriko angrily as she kicked  
him again.  
  
"Ow! Stop that you little punk!" cried the lost boy angrily.  
  
"Take this!" cried Yuriko as she kicked him again. "With a jacket like  
that you must be in a gang!" Her fist punched towards his crotch and  
he blocked the strike casually.  
  
"Hey watch it kid!" he snorted as he grabbed her shirt and held her in  
the air.  
  
"Jerk! Pervert!" she screamed.  
  
"Hey! What's going on here?" cried a woman in her late twenties as she  
approached the situation. "You put her down this instant!"  
  
Ryoga complied and turned to face the angry teacher. "Where is Ranma  
Saotome?"  
  
Yuriko stopped kicking him in the shins again and looked up at him in  
shock. He glared at her coolly for a moment before returning his gaze  
back on the woman again.  
  
"I don't care why you're here! You don't touch the students!" she  
screamed angrily.  
  
"I was looking for Ranma when this girl attacked me, I wasn't going to  
hurt her," shouted Ryoga defensively. "Are you going to tell me where  
he is or not?"  
  
Yuriko stepped away from him. "What do you want with Ranma?"  
  
Ryoga narrowed his eyes. "That's my business. Where is he? I know he  
goes to school here."  
  
Yuriko blinked. "What the? This is an elementary school you fool!"  
  
The woman sighed and turned towards her in what appeared to be an  
already old practice. "Yuriko, how many times do I have to tell you to  
watch your mouth?"  
  
"Sorry," replied the girl with a small blush.  
  
Ryoga stood between them and blinked. He laughed nervously and turned  
towards the woman. "Where is Furinkan High School?"  
  
"High school? You thought this was a high school?" said the teacher in  
disbelief. She looked around and indicated the children that now  
surrounded them. None of them were any older than twelve. "She's  
right, you are a fool!"  
  
Ryoga laughed nervously and turned away to find his destination on his  
own.  
  
Yuriko frowned and watched him walk. "He might not look like much, but  
he feels strong. I'd better warn Ranma about him."  
  
TBC...  
  
Next Time: Ryoga, the lost warrior.  



	3. Rurouni Ranma [Part 3]

  
Ruroni RanmaRuroni Ranma  
  
Part 7  
  
The Wandering Street fighter.  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma blinked in confusion and shook his head as he sat across from  
Yuriko and simply looked at her blankly. "Oro? A street fighter you  
say? Looking for me?"  
  
"Does it sound familiar?" asked Nabiki looking interested as usual.  
  
"Not really, I don't know any street fighters, at least they weren't  
street fighters when I knew them," said Ranma calmly. He didn't really  
seem all that concerned with this new development.  
  
"Well, he isn't very smart if he thought the elementary school was a  
high school," noted Akane lazily.  
  
"Maybe he thought Ranma would be there instead? He does look rather  
young," noted Kasumi.  
  
"That could be true," admitted Ranma. "I don't really see any reason  
to get worked up about it, we'll meet him soon enough I think."  
  
"What are you going to do when you meet him Ranma?" said Akane warily.  
  
"Not sure, I'll think of something," said Ranma with a casual smile.  
  
+++++++++++++++++++  
  
The next several days passed quietly for the Tendo household. Well as  
quietly as they could considering. Ranma mostly sat around with Soun  
while Yuriko and Akane, trained. The training mostly consisted of  
Yuriko complaining while Akane did her best to teach her the  
fundamentals of marital arts. The girl caught on quickly, but not  
without a fight.  
  
++++++++++++++++++  
  
Akane sat alone with Yuriko and Ranma at the table after the lesson  
was over. "I hate her!" fumed Akane as she sat down with the two men  
and pouted.  
  
"Have a little patience she is learning after all," said Ranma  
cheerfully.  
  
"Indeed Akane, I think this is a wonderful learning experience for  
you, when I leave this world the dojo will fall in your hands.  
Especially if you marry Ranma," said the eldest Tendo sagely.  
  
"Well, I'm not gonna!" retorted the girl angrily.  
  
Ranma found himself drenched with a bucket of cold water as Yuriko  
appeared behind her. "Hey, I need someone to go shopping with me."  
  
"Oro? What's wrong with Akane?" said Ranma in mild surprise.  
  
"What do you need to go shopping for anyway?" said Akane with a small  
measure of amusement on her face. It left quickly when Ranma's now  
dark and somber look crossed her eyes.  
  
Yuriko blushed slightly. "Nothing, I just need to."  
  
The pony tailed martial artist seemed to understand. "All right, but  
just this once. I don't exactly go around this way normally."  
  
Yuriko got a relieved look on her face and followed Ranma out the  
door.  
  
+++++++++++++++++++  
  
Out in the street she paused and looked at the girl with a knowing  
smile. "So, how long has it been happening?"  
  
"A couple of days, I'm not scared or nothin, but it's embarrassing,"  
commented the girl as they walked along. "I don't suppose you'll lend  
me the money?"  
  
Ranma sighed and pulled his wallet out of his gi. "I suppose, I really  
wish you'd go to Akane with these things, or even Kasumi if it bothers  
you that much.  
I'm not a real girl you know."  
  
"I'm just not comfortable with that stuff around them ya know?" said  
the girl as her blush deepened.  
  
"Well, you are at that age I suppose, still. I'm not all that  
comfortable dealing with it either," commented Ranma casually.  
  
"Besides, she'd just tease me, and if Kasumi found out about it I know  
she'd tell Akane." Yuriko smiled at her companion and looked away.  
  
"How do you know I won't tell her?" commented Ranma with a somewhat  
pleasant smile on her face.  
  
"Please, she avoids you like the plague," snorted the girl. "Besides,  
I don't know why, but I trust you."  
  
Ranma nodded at this and seemed pleased. "Well, she is going to find  
out anyway you know."  
  
Yuriko nodded, "I know, but she won't bother me about it if she  
doesn't know it's my first time."  
  
Ranma sighed. "Yuriko, she's your sensei, you have to trust her more.  
Besides, I might not be around forever."  
  
The girl paled at this, "I'm going with you if you leave!" she  
announced. "The only reason I hang around is because you're there!"  
  
Ranma sighed and put his hand on her shoulder. "Yuriko, I want you to  
stay with Akane if I go. When you're older and more skilled I'll be  
glad to have you along, but right now you need to build your skills.  
The world needs strong fighters to keep the peace."  
  
"I want you to teach me! I don't care if it's Hiten Mitsurugi or not!  
I want to be strong like you!" cried the girl.  
  
"I can't do that Yuriko, I'm sorry. I won't teach you how to fight  
with a sword; and my skill in the Anything Goes School isn't what it  
used to be. Akane is a much more capable teacher than I would be,"  
said Ranma firmly. "Come on, we'd better get to the store."  
  
Yuriko nodded solemnly and walked with her.  
  
++++++++++++++++  
  
The next morning Ranma walked to school with Akane. "Where did you two  
go yesterday anyway?"  
  
Ranma looked at her and smiled. "I promised I wouldn't say."  
  
Akane glared at him and stopped. "What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"Mean? Akane, I gave my word, I'm sorry. If she feels like telling you  
she will," replied the boy lazily. "She just doesn't trust you enough  
right now, she will in time."  
  
"Doesn't trust me? What does that mean? Why does she trust you so much  
anyway?" cried Akane angrily as she chased after him again. Ranma  
smiled and kept a steady pace ahead of her.  
  
++++++++++++++++++  
  
The day went by quickly. As the classes let out for the day a lone  
figure stood waiting at the gates. He reached down and grabbed the  
first student to walk close by him. "Where is Ranma Saotome?"  
  
The boy about shook with fear at the imposing figure holding him by  
his collar.  
The newcomer was dressed in traveling clothes with a white over shirt  
on, on his back was a massive pack that seemed weighed down almost as  
it hung off his shoulders. Tied across his forehead was a blood red  
bandanna.  
  
"Saotome?" quivered the boy nervously. He pointed to a boy quietly  
walking across the schoolyard in a boy's uniform blending in with the  
crowd accept for the katana that hung from his hip.  
  
"At last I've found you!" whispered the boy with a dark smile on his  
lips.  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma stopped and side stepped as a crater formed where he once stood  
moments before. Slowly a figure rose from the dust cloud that formed  
as a result of the impact. All those surrounding the scene stopped  
cold and stared at Ranma and the newcomer.  
  
Akane froze in place and stared at the pair as they watched each other  
passively for a moment. Ranma's face was calm and patient, and the new  
boy merely had a smirk crossing his features.  
  
"Tell me. Who are you?" asked Ranma.  
  
The boy laughed out loud and dusted off his pants. "You don't remember  
me? I shouldn't be surprised after all these years. I am the street  
fighter Tetsukasa.  
I've come to challenge you as I promised ten years ago."  
  
Ranma raised his eyebrow slightly and looked the boy up and down.  
"Tetsukasa? I don't recall knowing anyone by that name..."  
  
Nabiki appeared next to Ranma and stared at the new boy in shock.  
"Tetsukasa? The invincible street fighter? Ranma, he's a mercenary, a  
thug for hire. He fights all across Japan! I've heard stories about  
him."  
  
The boy smiled and pointed at Ranma. "That's right, I've trained my  
whole life for this moment."  
  
Ranma smiled lightly. "You're Ryoga Hibiki aren't you? It's been a  
while."  
  
The boy nodded his head. "And you're Ranma Saotome, or should I say...  
Hitokiri Battosai?" The small crowd surrounding them froze in place  
and all attention turned towards Ranma.  
  
The boy merely stood motionless and watched Tetsukasa silently giving  
no indication of surprise or any other emotion.  
  
"I heard stories of a Japanese soldier in that war, the strongest  
warrior. He fought for around five years, the first half as a silent  
killer working for the Chinese Government. The greatest that ever  
lived, the second half he defended the village of Amazons against the  
final attacks of the Musk, even participating in the final assault.  
I've heard you've become a gentle vagabond though. I'm curious as to  
what might cause that."  
  
Ranma raised his eyebrow slightly. "I got tired of killing."  
  
Akane looked at her fiancee and passed out in a dead faint. Nabiki  
looked like she was about ready to join her.  
  
"I accept your challenge, we will face each other as we did all those  
years ago." Ranma took his sword off his waist and handed it to  
Nabiki. "With our fists."  
  
Tetsukasa merely chuckled. "I don't think so Ranma, our true skills do  
not lie in our fists. It would be a joke to fight you without a  
sword," replied Ryoga shaking his head. "You will face me as a true  
man."  
  
Ranma paused and stared the boy down. "As you wish."  
  
"This place is too small, we'll fight in that field," Tetsukasa  
pointed towards a soccer field a short distance away.  
  
The boy pulled a large metal umbrella from his backpack and chuckled  
to himself. Nabiki raised her eyebrow slightly and moved closer to  
him. "Is that where you got your name?"  
  
"Tetsukasa? Yes, it means Iron Umbrella, my weapon of choice. I've cut  
down many opponents with this," replied the boy with a shrug. He swung  
the thing around as if it was made of paper and rested it against his  
shoulder.  
  
Nabiki nodded and moved away. "All right, betting starts at a thousand  
yen minimum. Come on and get started before the main event!" A crowd  
of students formed around her as her assistants seemed to appear out  
of nowhere and start taking down the names of the students.  
  
Akane woke up in a daze and saw her sister standing over her. "Nabiki  
I just had the weirdest dream..." She blinked when she realized she  
really was lying on the ground.  
  
"Does it involve finding out your fiancee is the legendary Battosai?"  
asked Nabiki with remarkable calm.  
  
The girl sat up and stared at the two men as the patiently stood off  
against each other waiting for the betting to complete. "Ranma!"  
  
Ranma stood facing off against his opponent and smirked casually at  
him. Akane approached him carefully from the side. "Ranma, you don't  
need to do this!"  
  
"I made a promise Akane, I have to keep it. Don't worry, no one is  
going to die, I promise," the boy smiled at her and stepped back away  
from her. She nodded and moved to the sidelines. Ranma looked up at  
his opponent again. "This room enough?"  
  
"More than enough to beat you Battosai," replied Ryoga with a smirk.  
"Come on!"  
The boy charged forward swinging his arm out and opening the umbrella.  
It slid open quickly with a loud clank. The boy stopped dead in his  
tracks about twenty yards in front of Ranma and heaved his arm sending  
the umbrella towards his opponent in a wide spinning arc.  
  
Ranma merely moved very slightly to his right to avoid the projectile  
and then to his left as it passed by again and returned to Ryoga's  
hand. "Impressive trick."  
  
"This is why I'm called Tetsukasa," replied the lost boy casually as  
he pulled several bandanas from his forehead. "Now I'll show you why  
I've never been defeated!" His arm shot forward sending waves of  
spinning disks flying through the air toward Ranma. The swordsman  
dodged around them skillfully and drew his sword knocking a few of the  
more erratic spinning projectiles out of the air.  
"You should learn more control before attempting that move. Someone  
could get hurt if they fly around to wildly," said Ranma as he landed  
on the ground again with his sword still drawn. He was now in a  
kenjitsu stance and staring the boy down more carefully than before.  
  
"They knew the dangers when they chose to become spectators," snorted  
Ryoga in reply.  
  
"You're careless," noted Ranma calmly as he charged forward. Ryoga  
smiled and pulled the closed umbrella off his chest swinging it in a  
wide arc towards Ranma's head.  
  
The pair clashed in a wave of motion that was hard for the crowd to  
follow. They stood opposite each other in the field and finally stood  
upright.  
  
"Ranma won," said Nabiki happily.  
  
Akane shook her head. "Not yet, this isn't a test of skill."  
  
Her sister looked at her and blinked before turning back to the field  
to see Ryoga laughing cruelly.  
  
"What happened?" wondered Ranma as he heard the boy laughing behind  
him. "That was a definite hit! He's strong, this is going to be  
tougher than I thought."  
  
His features hardened and he turned around to see Ryoga still had his  
back turned to him. The kanji for evil flapped in the wind against his  
back as he slowly turned to face his opponent again.  
  
"This isn't a contest of skill Battosai, the better swordsman isn't  
going to win! It will be the last man standing."  
  
Akane stood with her sister on the sidelines with a worried look on  
her face.  
"This is a test of endurance. Ryoga has much more than Ranma does;  
he's not a swordsman, but a fighter. He's used to taking heavy blows.  
Who could have guessed he'd be strong enough to take one of Ranma's  
Hiten Mitsurugi techniques?"  
  
++++++++++++++  
Ruroni Ranma  
  
Part 8  
  
The thing about a girl's hair...  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
Ranma stood calmly as Ryoga faced him again. The street fighter was  
smiling. "Tetsukasa, the man you knew died in China."  
  
"That doesn't matter to me, all that matters is the fact that I am  
your strongest opponent!" screamed the boy as he charged again.  
  
Ranma feinted away and slashed at the boy's side. Ryoga faltered and  
turned creating a wide defensive arc with his metal umbrella. "Stop  
playing around Battosai! Use the blade you're so famous for!" snarled  
Ryoga angrily.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
Akane froze and stared at the scene in shock. "He hasn't hit Ryoga  
yet!"  
  
Nabiki looked at her sister and furrowed her brow in disbelief. "What  
are you talking about? You saw him take the hit."  
  
The girl shook her head. "Ranma hasn't touched him with the sword yet.  
What's going on here?" The pair clashed again and a strange sound  
floated over to Akane, it sounded like a strange vibration in the air  
almost. She saw a flash of motion for a split second by the street  
fighter's gut. "What?"  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
"I have to admit that hurts, but how long can you keep it up Ranma?"  
snarled Ryoga as he rose from his knees and threw the umbrella again  
followed by a volley of bandannas.  
  
Ranma's expression didn't change as he turned around and faced him  
again. "I can do this as long as I need too."  
  
Tetsukasa merely smirked. "We'll see, I'll have you taking me  
seriously enough before this ends!" He charged again but changed his  
tactics. As soon as Ranma closed in on him he shifted his weight,  
stepped back away from him, and opened the umbrella.  
  
Ranma jumped back dropping his fist to his side in pain. He pulled the  
blade across his chest defensively and kept his distance. "Damn." He  
put the sakabato back into the scabbard and changed his stance.  
  
Ryoga smiled and stepped forward slowly. "That trick won't work now  
Saotome, let's see what you've got!"  
  
Ranma jumped into the air and Ryoga met him in the air. They exchanged  
blows for a moment and passed each other, Tetsukasa spun around and  
threw his umbrella at Ranma's back causing the boy to twist and avoid  
it.  
  
When they landed Ranma had a strange smile on his face. "He's no match  
for me in the air."  
  
+++++++++++++++++++  
  
Akane gasped as she sat the events take place and finally put it  
together. "He's been faking him out with the sword! He's not even  
using it! It was so fast I didn't even see it!"  
  
Nabiki glanced at her sister skeptically and turned her attention back  
to the battle. If Ranma won, she would make a lot of money today. "He  
does practice  
Anything Goes Akane, I think he can pull it off."  
  
"That jerk! He's not even taking this seriously! If he had used the  
sword from the beginning the fight would have been over by now!"  
snorted Akane distastefully.  
  
"That boy could be hurt if he does that Akane, have you forgotten who  
he really is already?" replied Nabiki carefully. Ranma had just grown  
much more interesting to her. She smirked to herself when that  
silenced her sister.  
  
++++++++++++++++  
  
"Eat this! Cried Ryoga as he tore across the field and slammed his  
fist into Ranma's chest after breaking out into a run as they landed  
again. The boy flew across the field and slammed into a drinking  
fountain. Water sprayed in every direction drenching all the  
spectators nearby.  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
Tatewaki Kuno stepped towards the crowd and frowned as he left the  
school building and moved towards the field. "What is this? What is  
going on here?" He pulled one of the male students over by his collar  
and shook him for a moment.  
  
"It's Battosai! He's returned from China! Some guy is fighting him!"  
cried the boy nervously.  
  
Kuno froze and stared at him. "Battosai? Here?" The boy nodded dumbly  
and pointed towards the battle. Ryoga was standing calmly in the  
shower and watching the rubble carefully. A figure slowly stood up  
from the wreckage shrouded in a sheet of water with his head down.  
  
++++++++++++++++  
  
Ryoga wasn't sure what to expect, he hadn't lost sight of Ranma, he  
was standing directly in front of him, but his demeanor had changed  
suddenly. "Are you prepared to finish this Saotome? Are you ready to  
take me seriously?!"  
  
The boy merely laughed, "I underestimated you Hibiki, my  
congratulations." He looked up and stepped from the spray of water  
drawing his sword slowly. "You said you wanted to face Battosai... so  
now you face him."  
  
Tetsukasa stepped back at what looked him in the eyes with a cold blue  
eyed stare. "Wh-who?"  
  
Ranma chuckled and never took her eyes off of him. "What's the matter  
Hibiki? Never seen a girl before?"  
  
"R-Ranma?" said the boy in complete shock.  
  
"Close enough," replied the girl as she rushed forward and slashed at  
him with an amazing speed. Ryoga took the blow dead in the forehead  
and was knocked backwards. He managed to keep his on his feet and  
backed away from the girl. He growled low and put his umbrella up  
defensively.  
  
"I don't care if you are him or not. This looks like fun." He laughed  
to himself for a moment but stopped cold when his umbrella fell in  
half in his hands. The top portion hit the ground with a metallic  
thud. He threw the rest of the weapon to the ground and put up his  
fists. "I think I might be in trouble..."  
  
Ranma jumped up and back as a huge number of bandannas suddenly filled  
the air.  
She bat a few of them away and spun into a back kick that took the boy  
in his face. Ryoga was pushed into the ground head first and rolled  
away barely managing to dodge one of his own projectiles.  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
Akane watched in awe as the battle moved up and down the field closer  
to where she was and gasped. Ranma had just changed in front of  
everyone!  
  
Nabiki was busy screaming at her lackeys. "Who the hell is that? Find  
out! Get these bets changed, anyone who bet on Ranma is working with  
the girl now! Put out the word, I don't want any loss of profits  
because of this! Damn!"  
  
Kuno stared at the scene in shock. A strange man was facing off  
against a red haired woman. His gaze fell on Ryoga and he sucked in a  
quick breath. "This is Battosai? How could such a noble and honorable  
man... perhaps he is in love with this woman? Yes that must be the  
truth! He has chosen to face her in honorable combat to win her hand!"  
  
  
The students around him were buzzing with conversation.  
  
"Who the hell is this girl?"  
  
"I don't know, but she's as good as Ranma!" cried one of the boys  
excitedly.  
  
"Who are you kidding? She's better than him!" countered the girl next  
to him proudly.  
  
Kuno was lost in thought. "As with my own quest. I must help Battosai  
win the object of his affections. Such is the way of the samurai."  
  
+++++++++++++++++++  
  
Ryoga was in trouble and he knew it, he was getting short on  
projectiles and his weapon was in pieces on the ground over a hundred  
yards away. Ranma seemed tireless and moved in closer with each  
passing moment. Finally the girl seemed to have enough and jumped into  
the air towards him as he spun the last few spare bandannas in his  
hand. "Damn!"  
  
"Ryuukansen!" cried Ranma as she slashed up at Ryoga with the blade at  
an angle, launching herself into the air, she came down landing the  
edge of the sword across his forehead.  
  
Ryoga fell to the ground with a dull thud out cold. The rags spinning  
in his hand flew about erratically in every direction cutting a wide  
path through the crowd. She turned back towards the crowd and froze in  
fear almost instantly.  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
Nabiki took a step back as the fight ended. Thanks to her quick work  
most of the bets had been turned over to her favor, but the girl was  
still an unknown factor. "Who the hell is that?"  
  
"Battosai," replied Akane simply with a strangely calm look crossing  
her face for a moment. It fell away when she saw the girl in question  
charge forward towards her with the blade still drawn.  
  
"Akane!" cried Ranma as she dove forward through the air far to fast  
for the girl to react.  
  
Akane felt the air blow by her head followed by a strange noise that  
seemed to pass by her for a moment as the girl shoved her aside  
slightly. She had instinctively fallen to her knees and covered her  
head defensively.  
  
After a moment she blinked and waited a split second longer before  
looking up. Ranma was standing in front of her with the blade held at  
an angle in an underhanded block; two bandannas were wrapped around  
the edge of the sword.  
  
"What the?" cried Nabiki in shock as she stared the new girl down.  
Ranma ignored her and looked down at Akane. "You should be more aware,  
these things are dangerous."  
  
The girl could do nothing but nod dumbly as she looked up at her  
savior in shock. "T-thank you..."  
  
The redhead winked at her and turned away, moving back towards her  
fallen opponent. "Anytime."  
  
Ryoga Hibiki simply lay still on the ground for a long moment. He  
slowly opened his eyes and saw the figure standing over him with a  
strangely satisfied smile on her face. "You did well. I do hope you  
have that out of your system now."  
  
He sat up and shook his head. "What hit me?... Oh yeah, you did." With  
that said he staggered to his feet and retrieved a few of his  
bandannas and the broken weapon from the ground stumbling across the  
field as he did so. Moments later he had his traveling bag tossed over  
his shoulder and was looking off in the sunset dramatically. "We'll  
meet again Saotome."  
  
Nabiki walked over to him after a few moments and coughed into her  
hand. "Aren't you supposed to walk off into the sunset now or  
something?"  
  
"I would, but it hurts too much to move right now," replied the boy  
with his back still towards her.  
  
"Who the heck are you anyway? Where's Ranma?" said one of the boys  
that had gathered in the small, but steadily growing, crowd.  
  
The redhead merely smiled at him. "Someone who is best forgotten. A  
phantom who should have died already." She put the sakabato across her  
shoulder before walking away towards the gates of Furinkan.  
  
"Who?" said another boy in confusion.  
  
"She said she's a ghost," offered another boy.  
  
"She was being dramatic you twit!" cried the girl next to him.  
  
Akane moved towards the front of the crowd and smiled at the slowly  
fading figure that moved down the street. "So, that was Battosai..."  
  
Ryoga stood thinking and watched the sun slowly sink into the horizon.  
"I've failed. I couldn't beat him." She seemed to melt away into the  
light as he watched her. "The legend of Tetsukasa ends here. I can no  
longer live as a street fighter. My honor will not permit it. One day  
I will become strong enough to face him again, then perhaps I can go  
on as before..." His contemplation was interrupted by a soft cough.  
  
Kuno stood next to the boy with a serious face. "I have always  
respected you. I am to understand you wish to take this woman and  
defeat her?"  
  
Ryoga blinked and looked at him for a moment before nodding his head.  
"Of course."  
  
"Perhaps I can be of some service? I am a master of such  
manipulations," said the boy proudly.  
  
Ryoga frowned and remained standing as he was. "I don't need your help  
to defeat her."  
  
"I would not dream of interfering with such an honorable battle. I  
would help you win her though."  
  
Ryoga looked at him again and sighed. "What do you mean?"  
  
"One who has lived in battle for so long cannot comprehend such things  
as beauty and life. I will help you understand these things so that  
you can capture her forever and leave her weak against your powers,"  
said Kuno dramatically.  
  
"What? What the hell are you talking about?" snorted Ryoga in  
embarrassed confusion.  
  
"I will help you win this pigtailed goddess."  
  
"I don't want to go out with her you twit!" screamed Ryoga.  
  
Kuno smiled and walked away from the scene. "How odd, such a brave man  
as Battosai would be so incredibly shy."  
  
+++++++++++++++++  
  
Nabiki collected the last of her bets and turned around. The sky was  
dark and her profits were high, just the way she liked things at this  
time. She was surprised to see Ryoga still standing there. He seemed  
deep in thought as she walked up to him. "You're still here?"  
  
He blinked and looked at her, seeming to come out of his trance. "I've  
got a lot to think about."  
  
"Oh come on. It can't possibly hurt that much can it?" snorted Nabiki  
lazily as she turned and walked away.  
  
Ryoga turned a deep red and looked away from her. "Shut up! It does  
all right?"  
  
+++++++++++++++++  
  
Yuriko sat down next to Ranma at the table and sighed after she  
finished her evening session with Akane in the dojo. "Did anything  
interesting happen today?"  
  
"That Hibiki boy showed up today," replied Ranma simply.  
  
"Damn! I missed it!" cried the girl in disappointment.  
  
"Watch your mouth!" screamed Akane as Yuriko found an elbow planted in  
her head suddenly.  
  
"Hey! That hurts old woman!" screamed the girl as she rubbed the spot  
protectively. Akane ignored her and sipped lazily at the tea Kasumi  
had made for them.  
  
Nabiki blinked and stood up from the floor where she had been reading  
a magazine. "Say, where did you go anyway Saotome? And who was that  
girl? She looked an awful lot like you."  
  
"Oro?" Ranma laughed and scratched the back of his head. "Well, I  
uh..."  
  
"She called herself Battosai. You've met him or her before, is that  
her? How does she know you? For that matter how does she know Akane?"  
Nabiki found her mind going into overdrive with the amount of  
questions it suddenly generated.  
"Do you have a sister or something?"  
  
Ranma looked at the girl helplessly and then glanced at the television  
behind her for a moment before a knowing smile crossed his face. He  
pointed at his nose with his finger and winked at her. "Now that... is  
a secret."  
  
"You realize that I hate you," grumbled Nabiki as she looked him in  
the eyes.  
  
"Akane? You're going to tell me aren't you?" She turned around and  
found her sister examining the ceiling tiles above her head quite  
carefully.  
  
"I'm going to find out you know. It's only a matter of time," said the  
girl as she stood up angrily and stomped away from them. "I don't care  
what I have to do to find out either."  
  
"You'd better be careful Ranma, she means that," said Akane quietly.  
  
The boy looked at her and then towards Soun, who was trying very hard  
to disappear behind his newspaper.  
  
"Oro?" He hung his head and sighed. "Just two more weeks..."  
  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
Ruroni RanmaRuroni Ranma  
  
Part 9  
  
Love lost and found yet again...  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma stood out in the yard moving through another slow kata. He  
paused and glanced around to see someone staring at him through the  
bushes. "Can I help you Nabiki?"  
  
"You're going to tell me everything you know, sooner or later I'll  
catch you off guard."  
  
"Later then, after all you only have to put up with me for another  
week right?" Ranma smiled at her and went back to his kata.  
  
Nabiki scurried away and sulked. "Damn you! I'm going to find out!"  
  
Akane watched the whole exchange from the table. "I'd forgotten you  
only have to stay another week."  
  
Yuriko smirked. "Only one more week and I can dump you! Woo hoo!" she  
cried out with joy and jumped up and down.  
  
"You aren't going anywhere," muttered Akane angrily as she smacked her  
in the back of her head.  
  
"Owie! I told you old woman, I'm going with Ranma!" snapped the girl.  
  
"You'll stay here with Akane and continue your training for a few  
years first," said Ranma as he sat down and sipped at the tea Kasumi  
had laid out for them.  
  
"Aw, do I have to?" grumbled the girl with a dejected look.  
  
"You should be careful with Nabiki though Ranma. When she sets her  
sites on something she doesn't let go," warned Akane.  
  
"She's like a dog that way," noted Yuriko.  
  
"My sister is not a dog!" screamed Akane angrily.  
  
"Sure she is, her sister is a bitch too," muttered Yuriko. She found  
herself sailing through the air and landed in the koi pond seconds  
later.  
  
"I think it's time we started training again, you're getting too lax,"  
snarled Akane as she brushed her hair back behind her shoulders again.  
  
Ranma found himself smiling at this. It brought back many pleasant  
memories.  
  
+++++++++++++++++  
  
"Ranma! It's time you learned to respect your father! We're going to  
train again!" said Genma as he dusted off his hands.  
  
"Why you! You stupid old man! I'll get you for that!" screamed Ranma  
in reply.  
  
He charged forward and pulled the boken from across his back as he  
charged.  
  
"Put that thing away boy! I'm not here to teach you how to sword  
fight!" countered Genma as he kicked the young boy in his chest.  
  
Ranma buckled under the strike but remained standing. "Fine, have it  
your way old man, I'll beat you with my bare hands!" He replaced the  
weapon and charged his father again.  
  
A short time later Genma sat across from his son with a satisfied  
smirk on his face. "Come on boy, we have to get moving. The battles  
are too close to us right now. I want to make it to this training  
ground before then."  
  
"Why don't we just go straight ahead pop? Wouldn't that be faster?"  
said the boy in confusion as he looked at the small guide map in his  
father's hands.  
  
"That's Musk territory son, we don't want to find ourselves in the  
middle of a fight," replied the man sagely.  
  
"Why not?" asked the boy obliviously. They were martial artist after  
all.  
  
"My son, you don't understand. This isn't a fight you can win with  
your fists or a boken. People are dying," said Genma with a small  
smile of pride on his face. The boy was brave, and strong. His wife  
would be proud when they returned to Japan.  
  
"Dying? Aren't we supposed to help those in need pop?" asked the boy  
obliviously.  
  
"Indeed we are son, but this is much too large for us alone to stop.  
It's best to allow the Chinese government to deal with it. This isn't  
even our country after all." The elder Saotome pulled his traveling  
bag onto his shoulders again.  
"Come on boy, we need to get moving again."  
  
Ranma hung back as he followed his father. "Something we can't beat  
with our hands or a boken? I need to find a real sword then."  
  
++++++++++++++++  
  
"Hey Ranma, what's up? Are you there?" He woke up to find Nabiki  
waving her hand in front of his face.  
  
"Oro? Have you been there long Nabiki?" he said as he shook himself  
out of the trance.  
  
"You just spaced out there. I was gonna bug you some more, but you had  
a strange look on your face," said the girl with a wary look in her  
eyes.  
  
"Sorry, just old memories," replied the boy with a small smile.  
  
Nabiki relaxed, Ranma had looked scary when he spaced out that way.  
His features became hard and almost angry looking. "Thinking about the  
war?"  
  
The boy blinked and looked at her. "No, pleasant memories. Akane and  
Yuriko brought back better times during my own training." His smile  
changed again, it was almost wistful.  
  
"I see," Nabiki turned away. She was more than a little disturbed by  
the look he had moments ago. Still, it drove her curiosity even more  
now.  
  
++++++++++++++++  
  
Ryoga Hibiki sat in the small Okonomiyaki restaurant and ate slowly.  
His face was serious and somehow devoid of anger. "So, he really was  
the one called  
Battosai. I had my doubts before... I wonder why he turned into a  
woman though."  
  
He had thought about the possibility that it was someone else, but  
quickly discounted it. The way she fought was too close, and she even  
held the sword in the same manner, there was no doubt in his mind that  
it was Ranma behind that woman's eyes.  
  
"Are you going to pay this time?" said the girl who walked up to him.  
He knew her name was Ukyo from past times in the shop.  
  
"Put it on my tab will ya?" he snorted.  
  
"You don't have a tab here," replied the girl darkly.  
  
"Get me one then, I'm going to be hanging around the area for a  
while," replied the boy simply.  
  
Ukyo nodded and sighed. "I guess it can be arranged, just make sure  
you pay it from time to time."  
  
Ryoga nodded and froze as the door opened behind him. A familiar  
figure walked over to his table and sat across from him.  
  
Tatiwaki Kuno smiled at him and placed his boken across the table with  
the blade facing away from Ryoga. "Battosai, I wish to speak with  
you."  
  
"What do you want? I'm not Battosai," replied Ryoga gruffly.  
  
"I see, you wish to keep your true name a secret," said the kendoist  
calmly. "I shall honor your wish."  
  
"No, I mean I'm not Battosai," replied the boy.  
  
Kuno nodded and brushed the topic aside. "Tell me how you have tried  
to win this woman and I will help you."  
  
"I haven't tried to win anyone, leave me alone you idiot!" screamed  
the boy as he glared at Kuno.  
  
Ukyo walked up to the table and smiled. "Having woman troubles?"  
  
Ryoga hit his head on the table and sobbed. "Why? Why me?"  
  
"I understand, perhaps you should try to bring her flowers? Roses are  
particular to a woman's heart," said Kuno.  
  
"He's right you know, but nothing says 'I love you' like jewelry,"  
added Ukyo.  
  
"I wish someone would bring me flowers." She paused and looked away  
wistfully.  
"Ranchan..."  
  
Ryoga looked up at her and blinked. "Ranchan? You mean Saotome?"  
  
"The cur! How dare he steal the heart of both Akane Tendo and the  
Okonomiyaki girl!" screamed Kuno angrily.  
  
"OKONOMIYAKI GIRL?" cried Ukyo as she slammed her fist into the back  
his head.  
He fell face first into the table and rubbed the sore spot. "I'm not  
talking about Saotome anyway."  
  
Ryoga looked skeptical and shook his head.  
  
Ukyo sighed and sat down across from him. "I had a fiancee once. Ranma  
kind of reminds me of him a little. He died in the war in China a few  
years ago."  
  
Ryoga blushed and hung his head. "I'm sorry."  
  
"Don't be, I know you didn't mean anything," said the girl wistfully.  
  
"Ukyo! Stop babbling and clean up those tables!" cried a gruff voice  
from the back of the room.  
  
"Yes daddy!" said the girl as she pushed herself back onto her feet.  
  
Kuno watched her leave and sighed. "A pity, she gave her heart away.  
Only to have it crushed, now she'll die an old maid."  
  
"She's can't be older than sixteen, she has time to find someone  
else," snorted Ryoga.  
  
"You must understand, she is the woman of a samurai! She will wait for  
all eternity for him to return to her!" cried the boy dramatically. A  
pair of fans appeared in his hands as he did so.  
  
"Whatever, I'm leaving," Ryoga stood up and walked out the door.  
Kuno sighed and nodded his head. "He really is good, that was an  
excellent exit." He stood up and started for the door. A large hairy  
hand stopped his stride.  
  
"You haven't paid your bill yet," said Ukyo's father as he shoved the  
paper into his face.  
  
"My bill?" Kuno blinked and looked at the man in confusion.  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma Saotome sat in the furo and relaxed in the water. "Ah this is  
nice."  
  
He paused and glanced at the mirror across from him. She seemed to be  
staring back at him through his eyes, hidden deep inside the back of  
his mind. "I don't need you anymore, the fighting is over." He spoke  
calmly to her and smiled. "But you'll never really go away will you?"  
He fingered the crossed scar on his cheek and smiled. "Not as long as  
she still holds us." He stared at her for a long time before two hands  
started to rub on his back. "Ah, that's nic... oro?"  
  
Yuriko smiled as she rubbed Ranma's shoulders in the tub. "Do you want  
me to wash your back?"  
  
"Wh-what are you doing in here?" said Ranma. He had yet to move.  
  
"Well, you didn't say anything when I came in so I didn't think you'd  
mind," said the girl with a small shrug.  
  
"Akane's going to kill me!" thought Ranma as he backed away from the  
girl.  
  
"Is something wrong?" said Yuriko in confusion. She wasn't being  
perverted or anything, at least she didn't think so. She glanced down  
and looked at herself,  
Ranma had seen better than she had before, in fact he had better. What  
was he so worried about?  
  
"I'm coming in Yuriko," called a feminine voice from outside. Akane  
opened the door and saw the girl smile at her.  
  
"Hiya, old bag! Starting to sag already?"  
  
Akane didn't hear her, she only saw the boy sitting in the corner of  
the tub with a frightened expression on his face. "R-Ranma?"  
  
"Uh, hi," said the boy. It was all he could think of.  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
Several moments later Nabiki cocked her head as she heard her sister's  
battle cry from the bathroom. "What the?" A split second after she  
finished saying that a loud crash sounded inside the house. She  
watched Ranma sail through the air outside and land in the koi pond.  
After that she shrugged her shoulders and went back into her room.  
  
Ranma walked into the home naked and wet, she had a strange look in  
her eyes as she walked by Soun and went into her room. The man had  
somehow managed to shove an entire pair of chopsticks into his mouth  
as she went by.  
  
"Oh my, Ranma! Are you all right?" said Kasumi in concern.  
  
"I'm fine, just had an accident in the bathroom," replied the girl as  
she closed the door behind her.  
  
Soun looked up at his eldest daughter and blinked. "Rnmah?"  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
A short time later, Akane emerged from the bathroom dragging Yuriko by  
her ear. Both of them were dressed in bathrobes. "You little pervert!  
What were you thinking?"  
  
"Ranma is a girl too sometimes! It doesn't matter!" cried the little  
girl defensively.  
  
"Of course it matters!" screamed the elder girl.  
  
Nabiki poked her head out of her room and snickered. She couldn't be  
sure because she had only heard part of the conversation, but she had  
a pretty good idea about what just happened. "This is interesting."  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma sat in his room a short time later, by himself. Somehow he felt  
a little relieved that he was leaving in a few days. He glanced in a  
small mirror and sighed, his reflection didn't say anything back.  
"Maybe it's good that I'm relaxing."  
  
A quiet knock came at his door and he smiled. "Come in Yuriko."  
  
The girl sheepishly poked her head inside the door. "I'm sorry I got  
you in trouble. I didn't mean anything by it."  
  
He smiled at her and winked. "It's all right, just make sure no one  
else is in there next time. Akane can hit pretty hard."  
  
"Tell me about it," grumbled the girl as she sat on the floor in front  
of him.  
  
"You're coming along well in your studies, just don't forget to train.  
In a few years I promise I'll come back and let you take a trip with  
me." Ranma smiled at the expression on her face.  
  
"Really? You promise?" she jumped up excitedly.  
  
"Yes, but only if you work hard with Akane," replied the boy sternly.  
Yuriko jumped up and grabbed him around the neck. "I promise I will!"  
She released him and rushed out the door.  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
Akane smiled to herself as the girl rushed by her. She had only know  
her a very short time, but had already forgotten what it would be like  
without her. Ranma was a strange man indeed, but hardly someone she  
knew she could spend the rest of her life with. It was a shame they  
didn't have more time to get to know one another, in a few years she  
might have considered it. She stepped away from her spot beside his  
door and went into her own room.  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
Inside her own room, Nabiki Tendo smiled as she went over the things  
Ranma had done over the past few days. There was nothing she could use  
to force him to say what she wanted to know. A deep frown formed on  
her lips as she thought. A moment later it changed into a sly smile.  
"Well Saotome, I guess I'll just have to keep you around until I find  
out what I want to know."  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
Ruroni Ranma  
  
Part 10  
  
Saiyonara Ranma!  
  
++++++++++++  
  
The morning had come; at long last it was time for him to leave.  
  
Genma Saotome glanced over his shoulder and saw his son lying on his  
mat next to him inside the tent. Without even bothering to secure  
their gear he lifted the boy over his shoulder. "We have to get out of  
here." He lifted the limp child over his shoulder and pushed back the  
flap to his tent. They had purposely set up camp at the edge of the  
army's encampment.  
  
What he didn't know was that his son was awake the whole time. He  
glanced back and sulked into the shadows.  
  
"I'm sorry boy, but we can't stay here. This is no place for someone  
as young as you. I still don't know what those fools were thinking  
when they allowed you to join."  
  
Genma turned back inside the tent and lifted up the flap in the back.  
The forest was a mere dozen feet away. Silently he crept along the  
ground with the boy on his back. Ranma watched coolly as the guards  
sneaked up on his father from behind.  
He didn't speak, only watched. One of them noticed his eyes on him and  
he froze in place with the other guards following suit behind him.  
  
They had no intention of facing a fully aware Genma Saotome, in the  
short time since he had joined the Chinese forces they had become  
almost legendary. Many aged and experienced soldiers had less combined  
kills than the pair of Japanese recruits.  
  
Then something none of the men expected happened. Ranma lifted up his  
hand and beckoned them to move in.  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
Genma sat tied up in a chair, he was beaten and tired. Three guards  
had been injured in his attempt to escape. The Chinese commander paced  
back and fourth in front of him angrily. "You coward, how dare you run  
away from us! You will be put to death!"  
  
Genma looked up at his son; the boy was standing in the corner like a  
statue of pure ice, the life that was once in his eyes long gone. He  
wasn't a child anymore, no matter what his appearance. "How dare you  
do this to my son."  
  
The man stopped cold and stared at the martial artist in shock. The  
gaze he found there was one of pure hatred, anger, and malice. The  
purest emotions found on the battlefield. "You wish to protect your  
son?"  
  
"What kind of man wouldn't wish that? This is no place for a boy; we  
are not your countrymen. We have nothing to defend here!" screamed  
Genma in reply. "You have no right! Look what you've done to him!"  
  
The man slowly turned around and looked Ranma in the eyes. The boy met  
his gaze evenly and calmly. No single hint of emotion could be found  
in his features. "We have granted your wish, he is a man among men.  
Despite his interesting problem."  
  
"He is not a man, he is a boy... and a killer," replied Genma coldly.  
One of the men standing next to him hit him with the butt of his  
rifle. The commander raised his hand and frowned.  
  
"The only reason you are still alive, is because you do this for the  
sake of your son. However, he is too important, and too good a soldier  
to lose. I am sorry, but you will be relocated into another unit. Your  
son... we have special plans for him."  
  
"Send him to one of your pleasure brothels you have set up for your  
men?" snapped Genma darkly, "as punishment for me?"  
  
"Please Mr. Saotome, you think too little of us. We would never even  
consider it. Our previous experiences with Ranma would teach us better  
than that. We have already lost five men because they were foolish  
enough to try. Your son did away with them quite nicely. All I will  
tell you is that you will never see your son again." The man turned  
and took Ranma by his shoulder. "Come boy."  
  
"Wait! Let me speak to him one last time!" cried Genma desperately.  
  
Ranma paused and looked at his father, his eyes were cold and dead.  
"Where will I be assigned to?" He continued to walk away from his  
father as the man screamed his name. The sounds of wood meeting flesh  
filled the air behind him for a moment until the busy sounds of the  
forces moving about their day drowned it out.  
  
"You are an excellent soldier, but your skills will benefit us more  
elsewhere. Those techniques your father unsealed will be most useful  
to us." The commander watched his men move about proudly.  
  
As for Ranma, he didn't feel pride, he felt empty, no more or less so  
than he did before he saw his father. "I am to become an assassin?"  
  
"Yes, the Joketsuko tribe has been giving us trouble in the North  
east, you will help eliminate that problem," said the man coolly.  
  
"Why not simply destroy them? We have the technology. The mountains  
would protect much of the land from fallout," said the boy.  
  
"To do so would show weakness in our army. We will overcome them with  
sheer numbers soon enough. However, the presence of men like you will  
help casualties greatly. Besides, the mountains are rich with natural  
resources we could use to help the war effort."  
  
Ranma nodded with understanding as the man spoke. "I see." He glanced  
back over his shoulder one last time and found that he had lost track  
of which tent his father was in.  
  
"You miss him?" asked the man half jokingly.  
  
"No, I just remembered I forgot where he was," he looked forward.  
There was nothing inside of him, how could he miss the man? He strode  
forward and never looked back, in fact, he almost didn't notice the  
single tear run down his face.  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma woke up from his dream and almost screamed out loud as a flood  
of emotion overtook him. He gasped desperately for breath and hung his  
head down between his arms. The dreams had not come since he left  
China, now his past was catching up to him again. "Why? Why did I?"  
The memory of his betrayal was not his most painful memory, but hardly  
something he wished to remember.  
  
He stood and turned on the light inside the room only to find it out.  
He glanced over to the small digital clock and realized that there was  
a blackout. Thunder rumbled outside and lightening flashed through the  
sky. He glanced at the small table just inside the door and frowned  
deeply. He knew why he was having the dreams again.  
  
"Battosai kills three!" It was the headline across the newspaper that  
lay there on the desk. Someone claiming his name was killing people.  
How long would it be before someone found where he was, or who he was?  
This had to be stopped.  
Whoever it was, they were good. Too good for the police to catch  
apparently, despite the brutality of the killings, he knew that from  
the descriptions alone.  
He lifted the page into his hand and rubbed his brow. "Someone from my  
past? Or is it something else?"  
  
Nabiki Tendo frowned as she read the paper again. According to the  
reports the one called Battosai was male, something she knew not to be  
true. At least she thought so, if that girl was indeed Battosai.  
  
Her father glanced at his eldest daughter and smiled. "Kasumi, what  
made you call that girl Ranma?"  
  
The girl looked at her father and blinked. "Father, that was Ranma."  
  
"Really?" the man rubbed his mustache and sighed. "I don't  
understand."  
  
"Akane told me her name was Ranma," replied the girl sweetly. "She's a  
friend of Ranma's."  
  
Nabiki stopped and dropped the paper. "She was here? Did she have red  
hair?"  
  
Kasumi nodded, "She didn't have any clothes on either, it was very  
strange."  
  
Both of them coughed out loud and looked away from her going back to  
what they were doing. "Why would Battosai be here? And why was she  
naked?" Nabiki thought it would be best to forget about it.  
  
++++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma came down the stairs and bowed deeply to the family gathered in  
front of him. "It's time Tendo."  
  
Soun looked up at him and nodded. "So it is Saotome."  
  
"I'm sorry things didn't work out," said the boy respectfully.  
  
"Are you going to leave now?" Nabiki looked surprised, but not too  
much.  
  
"Yes, I think it would be best if I leave before Akane and Yuriko  
return," said the boy honestly.  
  
"Without saying goodbye?" Kasumi looked scandalized.  
  
"If I wait for them, Yuriko might become a problem. You know how badly  
she wants to go with me," said the boy as he lifted his bag onto his  
shoulders and turned towards the door.  
  
"Akane did not ask you to stay did she?" said Soun a little drearily.  
  
"I'm sorry Tendo, it just didn't work out between us."  
  
"Could you give it a little more time?" asked the man seriously.  
  
"Maybe someday I will, but neither of us is ready to be married. I'm  
sorry."  
  
Nabiki stood up from her place at the table and smiled. "Not so fast  
Saotome."  
  
Ranma turned to face her and blinked. "Oro?"  
  
"Please stay, I don't want you to leave," she stood up from her place  
at the table with a cruel grin on her face.  
  
"What?" Ranma was in complete shock at this. "Why would you..."  
  
"The agreement was for one of us to ask, not specifically Akane. Now,  
I'm asking. Please don't go," She placed her hands on her hips and  
winked at him.  
"Now you can't leave."  
  
"Ranma..." started Soun.  
  
"No, she is right Tendo, I gave my word of honor," he placed his bag  
down and smiled at her. "I would like to know why though."  
  
"Simple, I haven't found out what I need to know. There's also this,"  
she held up the paper and smirked at him. "Battosai is a friend of  
yours isn't she? We'll be safer with the real one around to protect us  
won't we?"  
  
Ranma narrowed his eyes slightly at this and she stepped back. "On the  
contrary, that makes you targets."  
  
She stepped up to him and smiled despite the uncomfortable gaze he was  
giving her. "I won't let you leave Ranma."  
  
The boy sighed and sat down at the table, immediately his normal  
demeanor returned. "So, is it Go or Shoghi tonight Tendo?"  
  
Nabiki Tendo smiled to herself as she returned to her seat. There were  
other reasons she wanted him to stay. Akane had never gotten this  
close to any boy as far as she could remember. There was no need to  
voice that though.  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
About an hour later, Akane blinked as she walked into the house and  
found Ranma sitting at the table. "He's supposed to be gone!" she  
thought to herself darkly.  
  
The reason she took Yuriko out in the first place was so he would have  
the chance to leave without any problems from her.  
  
Yuriko smiled obliviously as she sat down next to her. "I was afraid  
you'd be gone by now."  
  
"Ranma isn't going anywhere," said Nabiki calmly.  
  
"What?!" screamed Akane angrily. "We had an agreement!" She turned on  
the boy and grabbed him by his collar.  
  
"The agreement was that any one of us could ask him to stay. I decided  
I like having him around," said her older sister. "Besides, he hasn't  
told me what I want to know."  
  
Akane's jaw dropped. "You asked him to stay?"  
  
Kasumi listened in from the kitchen and smiled. Despite the posing,  
she could tell Akane was happy. If Nabiki hadn't done that, she would  
have, although her reasons would have been different. She continued to  
cook dinner cheerfully as her younger sister started chasing her elder  
sister around the yard screaming about a long overdue sparring match.  
It was so nice when they played together.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
Next Time: What do the murders have to do with Kuno?  
  
  
  



	4. Rurouni Ranma [Part 4]

Rurouni Ranma  
  
Part 11  
  
Murderous intent!  
  
++++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma looked out over the sky as he lay on his back on the back  
porch of the Tendo home. He had a rather contented looking smile on  
his face as he lay there. Akane and Yuriko were both sparring in the  
yard, the young girl would occasionally yell out an obscenity.  
  
"Sure is peaceful," commented Ranma lazily.  
  
Nabiki turned and stared at him for a moment. "You're kidding  
right?" She glanced back out in the yard again and frowned. Akane was  
currently chasing her student around; the younger girl was pulling  
down her eyelid and sticking her tongue out as she ran.  
  
"I suppose they are a bit noisy, but it's good for them," said  
Soun cheerfully as he rustled the morning paper a little as he turned  
the page.  
  
"Yes, Yuriko is becoming stronger, and Akane doesn't hate her as  
much as she pretends," agreed Ranma. "They have a good relationship  
really."  
  
"Right," muttered Nabiki as she turned back to her manga again. It  
was obvious she didn't believe a word of it. After all, Akane had  
caught her prey and had applied a chokehold on the little girl.  
  
Yuriko had gotten her hands on a shinhai, and was beating her  
teacher over the head with it.  
  
"I've got to go too the store, I'll be back later," said Kasumi as  
she walked into the living room.  
  
Ranma looked up at her and stood. "I'll go with you, all this  
inactivity is starting to get to me you know."  
  
"All right," said Kasumi sweetly.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
"So, where are we going?" said Ranma cheerfully. He was dressed in  
his samurai robes again and had the sakabato at his side as always.  
  
"Just to the grocery store," said Kasumi cheerfully. "There's a  
few things I need to pick up. I'm actually glad you asked to come  
along, now that I think about it."  
  
"Well, all you have to do is ask, Kasumi-donno," said the boy  
cheerfully.  
  
Kasumi blushed at the formality of the boy's speech. "Please  
Ranma, just Kasumi is fine."  
  
"Hold knave!" said a familiar voice from behind them.  
  
Ranma turned and saw Kuno rushing up behind him, his boken held  
firmly in his grip as he rushed up. He paused when he recognized Ranma  
and frowned. "So, it is merely you Saotome."  
  
"Kuno, what brings you here?" said the boy in confusion.  
  
"I hunt the man who claims the name Battosai. His murderous  
rampage must be brought to an end," said the boy as he puffed out his  
chest proudly.  
  
"I've heard about that in the news," said Ranma with a small nod.  
His face had become serious again.  
  
"Oh my! That sounds dangerous," muttered Kasumi nervously.  
  
"I assure you that it is fair maiden," said Kuno with a short nod.  
"He must be brought to justice, I cannot allow this travesty to  
continue. He has killed seven people, and the police have been  
powerless to dissuade him."  
  
"So I've heard," said Ranma with a small sigh. "Well, I wish you  
luck."  
  
Kasumi and Ranma started to turn away, when the familiar sound of  
police whistles sounded down the street.  
  
"It is he!" cried Kuno as he rushed off.  
  
"Wait!" cried Ranma in alarm.  
  
The crowd parted, revealing a rather large man standing in the  
middle of the street. He was armed with a Katana and cut down two  
officers.  
  
"Heh, you fools are weak!" cried the giant. He was dressed in what  
looked like ninja gear, but he towered over everyone else in the  
street easily. "I the mighty Hitokiri Battosai, of the Kuno Hansha Ha  
Ryu, shall never be defeated!"  
  
Ranma paused while Kuno continued to charge forward. "Kuno Hansha  
Ha?"  
  
"Knave! I shall smite thee for thy insolence!" cried the kendoist  
as he raised his boken over his head and slashed at the man.  
  
The hulking figure sidestepped the blow and chuckled, the katana  
in his hand slashing down in a counter blow. Kuno was forced back into  
a wall, and gasped as his wooden blade fell in two pieces.  
  
"Die!" cried Battosai as he cut down, hacking the wall behind the  
kendoist in two.  
  
His target was gone, he glanced over to the side and saw Kuno  
sprawled across the ground. Ranma had been lying on top of him and was  
slowly rising to his feet, eyeing the man cautiously.  
  
Several police whistles sounded from down the street, and the  
hulking monstrosity of a man jumped onto the rooftops of Nerima,  
vanishing into the street.  
  
"No! He has escaped me!" cried Kuno angrily as he jumped to his  
feet.  
  
"You shouldn't be so reckless. A boken shouldn't be used against a  
real sword," said Ranma as he dusted his pants off for a moment.  
  
Kuno hung his head, "You are correct, a blade of steel would be a  
much better way to match this villain. He slanders the name of my  
family school. I cannot permit this any longer."  
  
"So it seems," said Ranma with a small nod. He was watching the  
police approach.  
  
"Saotome, I do not require your assistance, although this act has  
not gone unnoticed," he bowed very slightly and turned away.  
  
"I understand, be careful. I'd hate for you to become injured  
before we had another match," said Ranma as he turned to walk away as  
well.  
  
"I look forward too it," said Kuno with a small frown forming on  
his face.  
  
Kasumi rushed up to the ponytailed boy's side, worry etched onto  
her features. "Oh! Ranma, are you all right?" She glanced down at the  
ground and saw the two dead officers. "Oh my!" She quickly turned her  
eyes away, covering her face.  
  
The other police had moved up and were directing the crowd around  
them. Fortunately, some of them had seen what had happened as they  
approached, and Ranma was not suspected. Two of them were performing  
emergency CPR on the two officers.  
  
"Don't worry, I'm not hurt. Kuno injured his shoulder though,"  
said Ranma as he turned his gaze towards the direction the other boy  
had left.  
  
"You there! Wait!" cried one of the officers as he strolled up to  
Ranma.  
  
"Can I help you?" said the boy calmly.  
  
"You are from a nearby dojo? One of the martial artists attempting  
to apprehend the murderer?" said the man calmly.  
  
"No, I was out shopping with my friend here, we just got caught up  
in this mess," said the boy with a slight nod.  
  
"Do you have any idea who this man is?" asked the officer as he  
pulled out a pen and pad. The area was now swarming with police and an  
ambulance could be heard approaching in the distance.  
  
"I'm afraid not," said Ranma with a small shake of his head. "He  
was a rather large man though. Most unusual."  
  
"Yes, we've got nothing more than a description," said the officer  
with a hateful frown.  
  
"You are aware that wearing weapons is forbidden, we're going to  
have to confiscate that sword," said the officer as he nodded to the  
blade at Ranma's side.  
  
"What this?" said the boy cheerfully as he held the hilt out to  
the man. "I'm afraid I couldn't kill a puppy with this thing."  
  
The officer took the blade and pulled it from its sheath. "A  
sakabato?" He snorted to himself and handed the blade back. "All  
right. I'm afraid we're going to have to detain you, for questioning."  
  
"Ranma?" muttered Kasumi with worry in her voice.  
  
"I'll be happy too answer any of your questions officer, I'm  
afraid my friend here didn't see much. She arrived after the fact,"  
said Ranma calmly. "I don't know how much help I can be."  
  
"Ranma?" said the girl in surprise.  
  
"Don't worry, you go ahead to the store, I'll catch up," said the  
boy cheerfully.  
  
++++++++++  
  
Ranma walked away from the scene about ten minutes later. The  
police had questioned him a few times by one of the squad cars, and  
basically got the same answers. He gave a description, but that was  
about all he could tell them. Or more precisely, all he wanted to tell  
them. After that, they had taken his name, and sent him about his  
business.  
  
He did know something though, the man who claimed his name, was  
indeed using Kuno's school of swordsmanship. That was something he  
couldn't ignore.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
Tatewaki Kuno was sitting on the floor of his room, applying  
disinfectant and bandages to his shoulder. He had taken a hit when his  
bokan was destroyed. He was strangely contemplative about that, the  
Saotome boy had seen the injury, and there was no doubt about that. He  
had said nothing though.  
  
He closed his eyes and frowned even deeper as he pulled his shirt  
back on after applying the bandage. There was no doubt in his mind  
that the boy also knew that the man was indeed using his style. A  
great shame to his family and his school.  
  
He turned his gaze towards the portrait on the wall and frowned.  
It was a painting of himself, his sister, and his father. It was only  
about three years old.  
  
"This man, he has dishonored our name, father, sister, I shall  
have justice," he hung his head and lifted the katana from his side.  
He carefully placed it across the floor in front of him, and began to  
meditate.  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
"You're going out again?" said Akane as she looked at the  
ponytailed boy dumbly.  
  
"Can I come?" asked Yuriko as she strolled up to the conversation.  
  
"I'm afraid not," said Ranma as he pat the girl on her head and  
smiled down at her.  
  
"You've got practice!" snapped Akane irritably.  
  
Ranma had returned with Kasumi, and helped her carry the groceries  
into the home. Neither of them had spoken about the incident in the  
street to the rest of the family.  
  
"Yes, I've got to go speak with someone about something," said  
Ranma cheerfully. "Don't worry, I'll be back later this evening."  
  
"Oh! You're not staying for supper?" said Kasumi with a small  
frown.  
  
"I'm afraid not, and this may take a little time, so don't wait  
for me," said Ranma cheerfully as he turned towards the door.  
  
"What was that about?" muttered Akane as she watched him go.  
  
++++++++++  
  
Tatewaki Kuno was standing in the middle of his family's dojo. The  
boken in his hand blurred as he went through his kata feverently.  
"Curses! This foul demon torments me!"  
  
His exercise was stopped as a shadowy figure appeared in the  
doorway. A huge bulky form sneered at him, holding a sheathed katana  
in a wooden hilt over his shoulder. A dozen smaller men walked in with  
him, each armed with a boken of their own, or a sword.  
  
"Who dares?" snarled Kuno angrily. He gasped in recognition as the  
large man strolled forward and removed the hood from his head.  
  
"At last, I shall have my revenge," said the man with a chuckle.  
  
"Gohei!" said Kuno as he stepped back and pulled the boken up in a  
defensive position.  
  
"It has been some time whelp, at last I can destroy your family  
for what happened to me," said the man hatefully. His face still  
hidden by the shadows. He stepped forward, revealing a shining bald  
dome and clean shaven face.  
  
"You? You have done this?" said Kuno in shock. "Cur! You dare  
challenge me here? I am the master on this ground! You have no hope of  
defeating me!"  
  
"Maybe so, but I have mastered your family's style, and you are  
nothing but a weak boy!" snarled Gohei as he blocked Kuno's strike  
with his sword calmly. He did not unsheathe the blade, using the  
weapon like a boken.  
  
Kuno twisted his wrist, striking the man in his belly and forcing  
him back. "Fool, I am the only true master of Kendo. Your skills are  
nothing! You're pathetic swordsmanship cannot defeat the might of  
Tatewaki Kuno! The Blue Thunder of Furinkan High!"  
  
Gohei glared up at the boy, "Take him."  
  
The men who had entered with him slowly circled around Kuno, and  
then charged in.  
  
The boy fended them off admirably, but there were too many. He  
feverently blocked their attacks, but was forced back, and found  
himself pressed against the wall. Finally, two of the men fell from in  
front of him as he lashed out with quick strikes.  
  
"Idiots! He's alone!" snarled Gohei as he strolled up and slashed  
down, at Kuno. The boy pulled up his blade to block, but the force of  
the blow shattered it, and he was struck in the shoulder.  
  
Kuno screamed in pain as his wound was opened again, and his  
vision blurred. He fell to his knees for a moment.  
  
Gohei chuckled and lifted the boy up by his shirt, leaving him  
hanging in his grip. "I'm going to enjoy this. At last I shall have  
revenge on your family for this disgrace!" He pointed up at his bald  
head and shook Kuno violently.  
  
"Cur," muttered the boy angrily as he struggled to stay awake.  
  
"Cur? You dare?" Gohei pressed the boy's chin up with the butt of  
his hilt. "I've suffered for ten long years because of your father!  
The humiliation I've endured."  
  
+++++++++++  
  
Gohei chuckled as he slashed a cut into the kendo student in front  
of him with his katana. The students around him moved aside as he  
glanced around in search of his next opponent. His long dark hair  
flowed down his back, and a thick beard and mustache covered his face.  
  
"What is the meaning of this?" said a booming voice over the  
crowd.  
  
The students, all of whom had shaved heads shuddered and moved  
aside as a bulky looking man strolled through the middle of the room.  
He was dressed in a kendo uniform as well, but held no blade.  
  
"Mr. Kuno!" gasped one of the men in shock.  
  
"Now, you know my wife will be displeased with you, Gohei," said  
the man calmly as he looked down at the injured boy.  
  
"Bah! I'm tired of bowing and scraping before that woman! Kendo is  
a man's sport, and shouldn't be soiled by such filth!" snapped the man  
angrily. He was the oldest student, and the only one who still had a  
full head of hair.  
  
"You're being very, naughty," said the man as he got a dangerous  
looking gleam in his eyes. "I'm afraid you know the punishment for  
such behavior in my home."  
  
"Bah! You fool! You're as weak as that woman of yours! I'll  
destroy you!" cried Gohei as he charged forward.  
  
Kuno pulled a pair of barber's shears from behind his back and  
grinned with a wild madness as the boy charged. "Now you learn the  
true power of the Kuno family's secret technique!"  
  
A moment later, Gohei was on the floor with shock in his eyes. His  
sword clattered across the ground in front of him, stopping at the  
doorway to the dojo. His hair was completely gone, all of it, even the  
beard he was so proud of.  
  
Young Tatewaki stood in the doorway, watching the scene in horror.  
He reached up and felt his own shaved head.  
  
Gohei turned his head up and glared at the boy, a mad anger  
burning in his eyes.  
  
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! You're no longer a student here, I'm  
expelling you now!" said the elder Kuno as he casually walked out of  
the room.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
"My hair never grew back!" snarled Gohei as he held Kuno up  
against the wall.  
  
"A fitting punishment, surely the Kami are just indeed," said Kuno  
calmly.  
  
"I'll show you! I'll shave your head after I cut it off!" snarled  
the man.  
  
"You'll put him down now, that's what I think," said an unfamiliar  
voice.  
  
Everyone in the room turned their attention to the doorway. Ranma  
Saotome was standing there, watching the scene calmly.  
  
"Who the hell are you?" snarled one of the men.  
  
The ponytailed boy ignored him and stepped forward. "Regardless of  
the shame that was brought on you, murdering others is not justice.  
You have earned that curse, if not by your actions then, then by those  
you have done since."  
  
"Saotome?" muttered Kuno in surprise.  
  
"Shut him up!" said Gohei.  
  
"I don't wish to harm anyone," warned Ranma as he readied his  
sword, pulling it out slightly.  
  
"Heh, no one's going to get hurt. Just one death!" cried one of  
the men as he lead the charge forward.  
  
Ranma shot forward like a bullet, moving in and out of the strikes  
of the men easily. They fell in droves, four or five at a time. Two  
seconds later, it was over. Only a single disarmed man remained, and  
he was cowering in the corner.  
  
"Your style, I recognized it. It is not the style of the Hitokiri  
Battosai. He uses the supersonic techniques of the Hiten Mitsurugi,"  
said Ranma with a slight smirk on his face as he put his blade on his  
shoulder.  
  
Gohei dropped Kuno and turned to face the man. "That scar...can it  
be?"  
  
"I have no love for the name Hitokiri Battosai, but I can't allow  
someone like you to use it," said Ranma as he eyed the man coldly.  
  
"Well, if I kill you...that won't matter," said the man with an  
evil chuckle. He slowly pulled his sword from its scabbard.  
  
Ranma prepared himself.  
  
"Hold Saotome!" said Kuno as he jumped between them. "This battle,  
belongs to me." He was now holding a katana in his hands.  
  
Ranma nodded and resheathed his own blade. "As you wish."  
  
"Whelp, I'll cut you both in half!" roared Gohei as he charged  
Kuno.  
  
"Fool! Your techniques will not defeat me this time!" snapped Kuno  
as he sidestepped the strike and shifted the sword to his uninjured  
left hand. He slashed upward as the man passed by him, already  
committed to his strike. "I am the only true master of the Kuno Hansha  
Ha Ryu!"  
  
Gohei staggered for a moment, staring at the doorway to the dojo  
in silence for a moment. A line of blood erupted across his chest, and  
he fell forward onto the ground.  
  
"Master Gohei!" cried the only conscious man remaining.  
  
"Justice is served," said Kuno as he looked down at his fallen  
opponent for a moment.  
  
"As you say," said Ranma with a small nod. His eyes betrayed no  
emotion.  
  
Kuno dropped his blood soaked katana to the ground and simply  
stared down at the man for a moment. He said nothing as he looked at  
his body.  
  
"Well, it seems that the Kuno Hansha Ha, has defeated the Battosai  
impersonator. I wonder what sort of swordsman he really was? I suppose  
we'll never know the name of his style."  
  
Kuno looked up at Ranma for a moment, not saying a word.  
  
"You'd better go to the police, and tell them what happened here.  
Your friends will need to be arrested," said the ponytailed boy as he  
turned towards the bumbling henchman for a moment.  
  
The man gasped in shock. "They're all alive? But..." He glanced up  
at the stares the two men were giving him, and decided it would be a  
good idea to follow those instructions. He promptly rushed out the  
door, leaving them relatively alone.  
  
"I suppose I should be going. I was going to ask if you knew  
anything about this man, but I suppose I don't have too anymore," said  
Ranma as he turned towards the door.  
  
Kuno looked down at his katana, no emotion showing on his face, or  
in his voice. "My blade has tasted blood."  
  
"It is something you must deal with on your own," said Ranma as he  
paused in the doorway.  
  
Kuno nodded and lifted it off the ground carefully. "It should be  
treated with more respect. I am a fool for not doing so." He paused  
again and sighed. "Saotome, I must thank you for your assistance, even  
if it was not needed." He glanced up, and saw that the boy was gone. A  
light smile formed on his face. "I see."  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
TBC...  
  
Next Time: Ranma Saotome! Fugitive from the law?  
  



End file.
